Cheapness In Seattle (A 2019 PNW Trip Report - 2020 update added on 6/25

[pkondz]

You Handeled that well.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Nope! And kids used to learn that early on... the hard way.

It's taken me some time, but I've tried hard to control my temper when my kids point out my hypocrisy. Sometimes they are absolutely right to call me on it, and when they are, it's important to acknowledge that. Or at least be able to demonstrate why the circumstances changed.

Agreed. "How long is it?" "A mile!" Close enough.

Especially for this state government employee.

That's a very good point. It was an interesting diversion for a bit (a small bit), but... I dunno… Agent P seemed to get you more involved?

I think so. Those missions have multiple steps. Plus, I think the "hidden" effects are just a little more surprising and/or clever than those at WWoHP.

Yes you are.
I don't think I read Seuss to my kids. Mostly Munsch. Or I made up my own. Or I'd tell them stories from when I was a kid.

Drew is the only one who gets bedtime stories now, and it's whatever he picks out from the shelf. There are some that make me cringe more than others. And I can't skip/paraphrase them anymore because he can read.

Me too! We should start a failed club.

I tried. Nobody joined.

Patiently waiting...

It's coming! Any day now.

I recognized the umbrella so knew where you were.

I loved that line!!! That and his response in the chat when they tell him that everyone is watching

I don't often laugh out loud when I'm reading, but that Aquaman line got me. The sarcasm was needed in order to balance out the science talk. It made the main character so much more relatable.

I feel like they're getting better, but I do agree. Only so many costumes and plushes my kid needs.

Mine only has one rack of t-shirts for adults. So it's hard to get excited about going in there.

No. Verbolten replaced Big Bad Wolf.

It's only a 3 hour drive from us, so I've been there on multiple band trips, plus plenty of personal trips. It's actually my favorite theme park after Disney, because they do a good job of theming and making it not feel like a concrete jungle like Carowinds or Kings Dominion.

I'd have to go back. It's been so long--high school was a long time ago!

I have a feeling the Dr. Seuss books may all mysteriously disappear when Eleanor gets to the age of picking books. I've missed the library most during this pandemic because we read her a book every night, and our collection, while decent, is still small enough that we've been through everything 4 or 5 times.

There are always some books that make me cringe when Drew chooses them for bedtime. Others I look forward to. I can still do a mean interpretation of The Monster At The End of the Book.

It's not a Dr. Seuss book. These are by Chris Ferrie. Barnes & Noble had the whole collection and my STEM husband tried to buy them all.

Ah, I see. I...did not seek them out.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Sorry, it's taken me a fair spell to get here! Busy, busy!!

Don't worry, I understand!

What a difference 10 minutes can make!! WOOT!!

You Handeled that well.

Nice. I used to sing the Hallelujah Chorus with my high school chorus every Christmas, and it always gave me chills. Still have it memorized, too. It's so much fun to sing with a large group.

It super does. Cuz I stood in it. A long time.

I believe you. Hard to find a time when that line isn't insane.

YAY!!!

oh

Yeah. That's about what we said, too.

MIGHT BE!?!?

Well, there are a lot of really fun rides...

IT IS THE BEST RIDE IN FLORIDA!!!

Ok, Ok! Stop yelling at me!

Those kids have no idea how lucky they are.

I think they know, or else they wouldn't rub it in so much.

Okay... that was well done.

...orrrr the People Mover?

The Peoplemover has to be at least 3 times faster. So much better.

He's going to read this someday and develop bitterness in his heart.

My kids need something to tell their therapists.

It was a cool effect. Loved that!!!

 

[pkondz]

It's taken me some time, but I've tried hard to control my temper when my kids point out my hypocrisy. Sometimes they are absolutely right to call me on it, and when they are, it's important to acknowledge that. Or at least be able to demonstrate why the circumstances changed.

Is that better than "Because I said so! <smack!>"?

Especially for this state government employee.

Drew is the only one who gets bedtime stories now, and it's whatever he picks out from the shelf. There are some that make me cringe more than others. And I can't skip/paraphrase them anymore because he can read.

Ruh, roh! Then comes the dreaded... "Again!"

I tried. Nobody joined.

The fail club failed?

Success!

 

[Steppesister]

Nice. I used to sing the Hallelujah Chorus with my high school chorus every Christmas, and it always gave me chills. Still have it memorized, too. It's so much fun to sing with a large group.

Oh it totally is! I'd love to hear it (again) someday in a concert hall or cathedral.

I believe you. Hard to find a time when that line isn't insane.

And yet, I wouldn't mind doing it once to see what I've missed. On a day with not much else planned.

I think they know, or else they wouldn't rub it in so much.

The Peoplemover has to be at least 3 times faster. So much better.

True, the last time I rode it, I was surprised at how fast it went. I guess I'd forgotten that.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Is that better than "Because I said so! <smack!>"?

Absolutely. Fewer lawsuits that way.

Ruh, roh! Then comes the dreaded... "Again!"

Thankfully, I can invoke executive privilege and cut it off.

The fail club failed?

Success!

Nailed it!

Wait, is that a good thing?

Oh it totally is! I'd love to hear it (again) someday in a concert hall or cathedral.

And we will! Someday. Maybe.

And yet, I wouldn't mind doing it once to see what I've missed. On a day with not much else planned.

That's for people with annual passes. I have rides to catch!

True, the last time I rode it, I was surprised at how fast it went. I guess I'd forgotten that.

I have always thought the Peoplemover was very underrated. To me, it's more than just a way to get 10 minutes off your feet.

 

[pkondz]

Absolutely. Fewer lawsuits that way.

Kids with lawyers.... <shudder>

Thankfully, I can invoke executive privilege and cut it off.

Nailed it!

Wait, is that a good thing?

No one really knows.

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

Mine only has one rack of t-shirts for adults. So it's hard to get excited about going in there.

Ours generally has a rack AND a little display. We're fancy.

I'd have to go back. It's been so long--high school was a long time ago!

It's changed a lot just in the last 5 years or so. A lot of what I remember from my trips in high school has either changed or been torn down. But I'm always up for a trip, so it doesn't take much to convince me to go.

I can still do a mean interpretation of The Monster At The End of the Book.

One of the best books ever written
My favorite to read is the Pout-Pout Fish, but Mr. Brown Can Moo is guaranteed to get giggles. Though lately we're in the "I don't want to sit still" stage so reading a book is a bit more challenging.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Kids with lawyers.... <shudder>

Great, now I'm gonna have nightmares.

Ours generally has a rack AND a little display. We're fancy.

Well, la-dee-da!

It's changed a lot just in the last 5 years or so. A lot of what I remember from my trips in high school has either changed or been torn down. But I'm always up for a trip, so it doesn't take much to convince me to go.

I believe you. Especially nowadays.

One of the best books ever written
My favorite to read is the Pout-Pout Fish, but Mr. Brown Can Moo is guaranteed to get giggles. Though lately we're in the "I don't want to sit still" stage so reading a book is a bit more challenging.

Ah, yes, the squirms. I don't know how kids have so much energy.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Bonus Chapter 6: The Return Home

Our flight wasn’t until 7 p.m. that evening, so even though we’d accomplished everything we had wanted to do at Universal Studios (i.e. Harry Potter stuff), it was only lunchtime and we had some time to ourselves that afternoon.

So, we did what any reasonable person would do when faced with a free afternoon at Universal Studios.

We hopped in the van and drove to Walt Disney World.

As Sarah had been able to choose a special birthday meal at Boma earlier in the weekend, we gave Drew the same option. After describing various restaurants to him, he chose the Whispering Canyon Café in the Wilderness Lodge. It’s not clear, but the idea of servers messing around and playing pranks on people may have swayed this decision.

In retrospect, we should have seen the signs that 2020 was going to be a strange year.

I want to stress that we really enjoyed our visit to Universal Studios. But, as I’ll get into more later in this chapter, there’s still a different feeling altogether when you see this:

And there’s a simple, low-key magic in the air when your drive is accompanied by this:

I’ve written plenty about the Wilderness Lodge in the past, and I’ve probably posted roughly 750 photos of its spectacular lobby. But, this is a report about our latest trip, and we did visit so darn it, I’m gonna post another one and you’re just gonna have to sit there and like it.

This has always been one of my favorite buildings on Disney property and one of my favorite resorts I’ve ever stayed in. Having been fortunate enough to spend a night in the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone, and wander through the Ahwahnee (or whatever it’s called now) Hotel in Yosemite, my appreciation for the Wilderness Lodge has only grown over time. Of all the Disney resorts, I would only rank Aulani higher. AKL and WL compete for my favorite resort at WDW (both designed by the same architect, AKL gets points for animals, WL gets points for location and boat transportation).

Whispering Canyon Café had always been a favorite of ours—we enjoyed the barbecue dinners there, and really enjoyed the gags and general rambunctiousness of the servers. A couple of years ago, Disney made a rash decision to cease the fun and noise, apparently in an attempt to appease some entitled guests who were born without a sense of humor. Thankfully, those of us who enjoy things like “fun” eventually won out, and the goofiness has returned to the restaurant, even if it’s a bit more low-key than before.

We were there at 1:00 p.m. and hardly anyone was there, so that may have been what made it seem more low-key.

The servers took notice of the kids’ Hogwarts sweatshirts right away, and immediately began debating which house they would belong to. One of them didn’t want to serve Drew, since he was a Slytherin. They also asked us if we were in the right theme park.

For years, I’d always ordered the all-you-can-eat BBQ tray here. Sorry, I probably should have waited until you were sitting down before springing that surprise. Anyway, for this visit, I finally changed my order. I’ve learned the hard way that at 45 years old, all-you-can-eat is not nearly the value it was when I was younger. So I ordered a bison burger instead (that’s a fried pickle on top, in case you’re wondering).

Julie went with the pulled-pork sandwich.

Scotty has now taken the Biggest Appetite crown in the family, so he got the BBQ dish.

Everybody seemed very happy with their choices. I was especially happy that Drew ordered a cheeseburger and fries, because of course that meant he would want some ketchup.

That gag never fails to make me laugh. Even better, another family in the restaurant wanted some ketchup later, so the dad walked over and asked if he could take a bottle from our table. Our server was standing right there and immediately started giving the guy a hard time. “Hey, what are you doing? No, no, no, no! Get back to your table, sir, we got a certain way of doing things around here!”

It was hilarious just watching the utter confusion on the guy’s face. I love watching newbies there. The man’s own server then informed him of the proper procedure, and soon we were delivering 20 bottles of ketchup for their use.

Scotty wanted a “little” more Sprite with his meal. The server obliged him.

I thought my burger was very tasty, and the rest of the family seemed to enjoy their food as well. So I’m going to call this a successful birthday meal for Drew. We debated ordering dessert, but…nah. Julie and I had a better idea.

We wandered the lobby a bit, because how can you not? And we stopped for a traditional photo of the kids by the Mickey totem pole next to the gift shop. Man, time really flies. Here’s Sept. 2010 vs. Jan. 2020.

We still had a good chunk of the afternoon to kill before we needed to head to the airport. Our plan was to spend that time by just enjoying the Disney bubble, taking leisurely rides around the resort. We started by heading out back, pausing to look back at the Wilderness Lodge once more. I know I have a million of these photos, too—they mark the change through the height of the trees behind the waterfall.

Whatever Imagineer thought of the idea to have the hot spring in the lobby lead to the waterfall and flow to the pool—gold star for that one!

We hopped on the boat and took our time sailing over to Fort Wilderness, and then on to the Contemporary Resort. Similar to the monorail, there’s a simple low-key magic to riding the boats around Disney World. Maybe it’s just the fact that I don’t get to ride on boats every day. But it’s peaceful and feels a bit adventurous. And there’s no shortage of things to watch while you’re riding along.

At the Contemporary, we rode the escalators up and boarded the monorail. Remember, it doesn’t count as a Disney World visit unless you ride the monorail at some point. We got off at the TTC and transferred to the EPCOT loop, mostly to extend the ride. There aren’t many low-cost attractions at Disney World better than riding the loop around EPCOT.

That ride usually has the downside of making you wish you had bought a ticket to enter, but in this case we were happy staying on the monorail. The whole park looked like one big construction zone.

Here’s the latest on the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride, now featuring various shades of “Go-Away Green” and “Ignore Me Blue”.

Mission: SPACE still looks good. I’m interested in the new restaurant they’re building there.

Test Track, still the best ride in EPCOT.

Oh, look! More construction. There is a large part of me that is sad that Future World is going away. I was always inspired by the idea of getting a glimpse of what’s around the corner with technology, and EPCOT was my favorite park for many years for that reason. I still miss the old Horizons ride.

But I also understand that nowadays, technology is impossible to keep up with. So it’s hard to keep EPCOT from feeling dated, even when constantly updating it.

Of course, there’s one ride that they just won’t improve no matter what. I don’t get it. I really don’t. The least imaginative ride at Disney World, Journey Into Imagination.

Finishing our loop, here’s the Living Seas.

Always a pleasant ride. We headed back to the TTC and then switched trains once more. This time, we got off at the Polynesian Village Resort. What better place to stop for dessert on a lazy Monday afternoon in Florida?

(cue angelic choir)

After running around Universal for 2.5 days trying to cram in what we could, a lazy afternoon riding monorails and eating Dole Whip floats was just what the doctor ordered. We were all relaxed, taking in the simple pleasures and enjoying the Disney bubble. It’s a different feel than Universal. At Universal, I mostly felt like I was in an amusement park. A very well-made amusement park. At Disney, I felt like I’d escaped the real world. That was the difference, to me.

We got back on the monorail and finished our ride by heading to the Magic Kingdom gates. Along the way, we could see the work on the new walkway from the Red Roof Inn Grand Floridian to MK.

We got off at the Magic Kingdom, again stung a bit by the fact that the park was right there. We could hear the music from Main St, but couldn’t go in.

Ah, well. We can go back anytime. It’s not like these massive theme parks ever suddenly just get shut down.

We got on the boat to the Wilderness Lodge, completing our loop with one final look back.

And that was the end of our long weekend. Drive to the airport, return the van, board the plane, fly home, get locked inside due to a global pandemic. Nothing to see here.

We’d fulfilled our long-overdue promise to Sarah, and finally experienced Universal Studios and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Cross another one off the bucket list.

With that, I present our overall comparison of Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida.

Universal is a great deal of fun. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is worth the price of admission by itself, and they seem to keep improving every time they add a ride. I wasn’t exaggerating about Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure; it’s just that much fun. The theming, world-building, effects, and storytelling are top-notch. Everything there is equally as good as anything Disney has ever done. If you happen to prefer it to Disney, I can’t blame you.

Transportation was certainly better at Universal. I think this is largely due to the property being so much more compact than Disney World, but they also get major points for distributing the buses in such a way that there was never a wait. That’s a high level of service that I’ve never seen at Disney. It’s also nice having the parks next to each other. This makes the park-hopping simple and convenient.

The Cabana Bay Resort was…fine. Like I said, I didn’t really care for the theme, even if it was done well. But most of the resorts there, from what I can see, are hotels first. They don’t have that same magic that the Disney resort do in terms of carrying out their themes and making you feel transported. Staying at a Disney resort feels like part of the magic to me, while staying at a Universal resort just feels like a matter of convenience.

The fact that we drove to Disney for all of our sit-down meals speaks for itself.

In terms of the theme parks themselves, Universal and Islands of Adventure are a lot of fun, and you can easily fill a long weekend there. But with the attractions themselves, we felt it was basically two categories: Harry Potter, and Everything Else. While Universal knocked it out of the park with Harry Potter, the rest of the parks are just…fine. They don’t have the same magic. Individual attractions are a lot of fun, like the Mummy ride, but we didn’t think the rest of the parks were on par with Disney.

Now, are we somewhat biased? Probably. We’ve been going to Disney for years, are very familiar with it, and have many joyful memories to draw on. But all we can do is be honest about how these places make us feel. While we understand that Disney World is not perfect, and would even argue it’s not as good as it was, say, 10-15 years ago…Disney magic still exists for us, making it feel like a special place in a way that Universal does not. I think that difference was best illustrated by our last afternoon. We were glad to spend the time riding around on boats and monorails, wandering through resorts, and looking at all of the attractions around us. I have a feeling I would have gotten bored trying to do the same around CityWalk. Maybe wandering the Universal resorts would have some appeal, but again, they don’t seem to have quite the same sense of discovery.

I’m glad we went. I’m really glad we got to experience the Harry Potter rides. And we had a great weekend. But I have a feeling that first and foremost, we’ll always be a Disney family.

Coming Up Next:

Well, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but we’re in a pandemic. So…I have no idea.

We were planning to visit Alaska this summer. This would have finished off our 50-state quest with perfect timing, since Sarah is leaving to start college in the fall. But COVID-19 has seen fit to totally upend all of our lives.

As of this moment, we still have plane tickets booked, as well as hotel reservations and tours. I can still cancel all of them without penalty. And our departure date is less than 2 weeks away, so we really need to make a decision here.

Part of me thinks we can pull it off. My own state is not overrun with the virus—while the number of cases has risen, the hospitalization rate is at its lowest point since mid-April. And Alaska is also seeing its numbers climb, but again they are relatively low. If I was going to go anywhere with the goal of avoiding large groups of people, Alaska would be very high on the list. Especially since no cruise ships are visiting this year. Flying that far in an airplane is certainly not ideal in a pandemic, but I do have a good bit of confidence in the HEPA filters, masks, and distancing procedures being enforced. We’d largely keep to ourselves on the road, just staying in hotel rooms (that have been sanitized) and probably eating takeout meals to avoid indoor crowds. I think we’d be able to reduce our risks pretty well, and we’d probably never be able to visit as cheaply as we could this summer.

However, there is risk involved. There are some worst-case scenarios I can’t entirely rule out. Alaska has a testing requirement to enter. If I can get tested and show a negative result within 72 hours of my departure, I can move freely about the state. In Delaware, it appears most people have been getting results within 24-36 hours. No problem, right?

Well, with the numbers creeping up, there’s always the chance a lab gets backed up. So I could conceivably board the plane without knowing my test results. Which means I need to quarantine in my hotel when I arrive until the negative result shows up.

Worst-Case Scenario #1: my test is positive. Now I’ve just spent the money to travel all that way so I can sit in a hotel room by myself for two weeks.

Worst-Case Scenario #2: the lab results are delayed. So even if I’m negative, I lose several days of the trip waiting in the hotel for results. Then I have to scramble to see anything.

From what I read, being in quarantine is largely on the honor system since they don’t have the staff to track and enforce it on visitors. So I could cheat and run around anyway. But—what if I’m positive and asymptomatic? Then I’m one of the jerks who is spreading the virus and making it worse for everyone. I can’t have that on my conscience.

The easiest and safest thing to do is to postpone and plan for next summer. It would crush me to do that, since we’ve been looking forward to this for so long. But the pandemic doesn’t care about my plans. On the other hand, I can get sick here just as easily. And while we all have hope, there’s no guarantee things are any better next summer.

All this adds up to one of the biggest moments of indecision I can remember. I really don’t know what the right decision is.

Obviously, there are a lot of frustrations with the whole pandemic, and I can’t really go into them on the boards. I do wish my country had been able to pull together to beat this thing. It’s both embarrassing and aggravating that we are the only first-world nation that couldn’t get it largely under control by now. But we are where we are. Hopefully, we’ll figure all of this out soon.

Thanks, as always, for sticking with me and reading. I appreciate your time, your feedback, and (most of) your witty commentary. I’m honored that you care enough about our adventures to follow along.

Stay safe, and God bless.

 

[pkondz]

Great, now I'm gonna have nightmares.

Sorry bout that.
I'll be back later to read the update.

 

[luv2sewtjr]

I think your family’s trip ended perfectly. Loved the low key boat and monorail rides. Whispering canyon sounds like fun!

Good luck on your decision about Alaska.

 

[pkondz]

So, we did what any reasonable person would do when faced with a free afternoon at Universal Studios.

We hopped in the van and drove to Walt Disney World.

But of course.

After describing various restaurants to him, he chose the Whispering Canyon Café in the Wilderness Lodge.

Good choice, Drew! Wish I could go there right now.

In retrospect, we should have seen the signs that 2020 was going to be a strange year.

Dunno… Looks pretty normal to me. Don't you usually see giant lobsters on cars?

there’s still a different feeling altogether when you see this:

And there’s a simple, low-key magic in the air when your drive is accompanied by this:

Definitely!!

I’ve probably posted roughly 750 photos of its spectacular lobby

That's okay. It's such a gorgeous resort that I never get tired of looking at it.

you’re just gonna have to sit there and like it.

I'm okay with that/

Of all the Disney resorts, I would only rank Aulani higher.

Interesting! I must say that Aulani does have that cool salt water swim, but... I don't know if I would rank it higher. WL is pretty amazing.

A couple of years ago, Disney made a rash decision to cease the fun and noise, apparently in an attempt to appease some entitled guests who were born without a sense of humor. Thankfully, those of us who enjoy things like “fun” eventually won out, and the goofiness has returned to the restaurant, even if it’s a bit more low-key than before.

That was awful. As soon as I heard they'd kyboshed the antics, I immediately lost all desire to go there. Was so pleased to hear they'd put them back.
I suspect their occupancy rate went way down.

One of them didn’t want to serve Drew, since he was a Slytherin.

They also asked us if we were in the right theme park.

Reasonable question.

So I ordered a bison burger instead (that’s a fried pickle on top, in case you’re wondering).

I was wondering and dang that looks good.

Scotty has now taken the Biggest Appetite crown in the family, so he got the BBQ dish.

I want that. All of it. I couldn't finish it, but I still want it.

I was especially happy that Drew ordered a cheeseburger and fries, because of course that meant he would want some ketchup.

Our server was standing right there and immediately started giving the guy a hard time. “Hey, what are you doing? No, no, no, no! Get back to your table, sir, we got a certain way of doing things around here!”

Scotty wanted a “little” more Sprite with his meal. The server obliged him.

Glad Scotty happened one last time before the trip ended.

Here’s Sept. 2010 vs. Jan. 2020.

Great photos.

Whatever Imagineer thought of the idea to have the hot spring in the lobby lead to the waterfall and flow to the pool—gold star for that one!

Right?
And to figure out a way to make 3 different pools of water appear to be all connected... brilliant.

We hopped on the boat and took our time sailing over to Fort Wilderness, and then on to the Contemporary Resort. Similar to the monorail, there’s a simple low-key magic to riding the boats around Disney World. Maybe it’s just the fact that I don’t get to ride on boats every day. But it’s peaceful and feels a bit adventurous. And there’s no shortage of things to watch while you’re riding along.

I love taking Disney boats. Even the short one from one side of Epcot WS to the other.

Remember, it doesn’t count as a Disney World visit unless you ride the monorail at some point.

That ride usually has the downside of making you wish you had bought a ticket to enter, but in this case we were happy staying on the monorail. The whole park looked like one big construction zone.

Ah yes. I guess that would help.

But probably not a lot.

Mission: SPACE still looks good. I’m interested in the new restaurant they’re building there.

Yes! Very much! Can't wait to see what they do there.

There is a large part of me that is sad that Future World is going away. I was always inspired by the idea of getting a glimpse of what’s around the corner with technology, and EPCOT was my favorite park for many years for that reason.

Yeah... I completely agree.

But I also understand that nowadays, technology is impossible to keep up with. So it’s hard to keep EPCOT from feeling dated, even when constantly updating it.

I loved going in there and "Wow! This is cool!" But then you'd go back and "This? They think this old thing is new?"

(cue angelic choir)

It’s a different feel than Universal. At Universal, I mostly felt like I was in an amusement park. A very well-made amusement park. At Disney, I felt like I’d escaped the real world. That was the difference, to me.

Very much. One is a fun theme park. The other is... Magic. I don't know if there's a better word.

the Red Roof Inn Grand Floridian

We could hear the music from Main St, but couldn’t go in.

oooohhhh… that must've stung a bit.

Ah, well. We can go back anytime. It’s not like these massive theme parks ever suddenly just get shut down.

Stop that!

While Universal knocked it out of the park with Harry Potter, the rest of the parks are just…fine. They don’t have the same magic.

Correct. Now that I've been a couple times, I could easily see myself spending all my Uni time in HP lands.

Well, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but we’re in a pandemic.

What? When did this happen? Why wasn't I informed??

our departure date is less than 2 weeks away, so we really need to make a decision here.

You think? Maybe?

All this adds up to one of the biggest moments of indecision I can remember. I really don’t know what the right decision is.

I think... It's something that you have to decide, but... I know what my answer would be, if you want to hear it.

Thanks, as always, for sticking with me and reading. I appreciate your time, your feedback, and (most of) your witty commentary. I’m honored that you care enough about our adventures to follow along.

Thanks for writing Mark. Always top notch writing and just so darned enjoyable to read. You've got a real nack, my friend.

 

[QueenJen]

Enjoyed reading all about your family adventures. Good luck with your Alaska decision. If you decide against Alaska, will we be reading a TR about the Oblivious Family staycation?

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Thanks for the report Mark. It was a joy to read, as always.

I wish I could help you make your Alaska decision - well, I wish none of us were in the situation where we had to make decisions like that - but I really wouldn't know what to do myself.
Due to so much uncertainty, my family will most likely just end up sticking around the house all summer, and I hate the idea of that. I don't necessarily want to fly anywhere, but I don't like the idea of us not venturing much farther than the back yard all summer either. I may try to get a small staycation in sometime, but not sure where, and if I book anything it will be fairly short notice with job schedule uncertainty for both me and my wife, so I have no idea what kind of availability is around these days.

I hope you are able to do another trip report of some kind in the not too distant future.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I think your family’s trip ended perfectly. Loved the low key boat and monorail rides. Whispering canyon sounds like fun!

Good luck on your decision about Alaska.

Thank you. Looks like we're going to be going the conservative route and staying home. Sigh.

Good choice, Drew! Wish I could go there right now.

You and me and about 60 million other people feel the same way.

Dunno… Looks pretty normal to me. Don't you usually see giant lobsters on cars?

Of course not! Usually they're crabs.

That's okay. It's such a gorgeous resort that I never get tired of looking at it.

True. I usually find an excuse to make my way over there when I'm at WDW.

Interesting! I must say that Aulani does have that cool salt water swim, but... I don't know if I would rank it higher. WL is pretty amazing.

Our stay at Aulani was pretty magical. I thought the theming was tremendous. And really loved the whole pool, waterslide/lazy river area.

AKL and WL are no slouches, though.

That was awful. As soon as I heard they'd kyboshed the antics, I immediately lost all desire to go there. Was so pleased to hear they'd put them back.
I suspect their occupancy rate went way down.

Yeah, I was angry about that, too. Glad that sanity (and fun) prevailed.

I was wondering and dang that looks good.

Very tasty burger.

I want that. All of it. I couldn't finish it, but I still want it.

That's what I used to order. It was a good meal, for sure.

Glad Scotty happened one last time before the trip ended.

That's my boy!

Great photos.

Thanks. But man, do I feel old.

Right?
And to figure out a way to make 3 different pools of water appear to be all connected... brilliant.

Very cool. I remember crouching down by the sidewalk and finding one of the drains. The water on the hotel side was a lot cooler than the water flowing out down to the pool.

I love taking Disney boats. Even the short one from one side of Epcot WS to the other.

Agreed. There's something about it.

Ah yes. I guess that would help.

But probably not a lot

A little. Maybe.

Yes! Very much! Can't wait to see what they do there.

I love the idea for the theme, but I'm not sure how you choose a menu for "space". Is it all freeze-dried?

Yeah... I completely agree.

It's like that discussion we keep having about why we need the World's Fair to come back.

I loved going in there and "Wow! This is cool!" But then you'd go back and "This? They think this old thing is new?"

Hey, look! A rotary phone!

Very much. One is a fun theme park. The other is... Magic. I don't know if there's a better word.

I don't have a better one. Disney magic is real.

oooohhhh… that must've stung a bit.

Yeah...it hurts not to be able to go in. I still enjoyed that afternoon riding the monorail, though. It was nice just to be there.

Stop that!

Sorry. Too soon?

Correct. Now that I've been a couple times, I could easily see myself spending all my Uni time in HP lands.

Yeah, I think that was our consensus. We would go back just for the HP stuff...and probably spend almost all of our time doing HP stuff.

What? When did this happen? Why wasn't I informed??

Haven't you seen the news? It's awful, people are dying, millions are infected, there's absolutely no way to control--oh, wait, you live in a different country. Carry on.

You think? Maybe?

One week now. We should probably make up our minds.

I think... It's something that you have to decide, but... I know what my answer would be, if you want to hear it.

I appreciate the advice. I'm looking into plan B now.

Thanks for writing Mark. Always top notch writing and just so darned enjoyable to read. You've got a real nack, my friend.

Thank you, @pkondz . I truly appreciate you saying that. Sometimes it's still hard to believe that people read these things, but I'm glad you do. The fact that you care enough to follow along and join in conversation means the world to me. Especially in a time when we're not allowed to get together with our friends very often, it's very comforting and rewarding to have friends in a virtual space like that. I appreciate you.

 

[pkondz]

You and me and about 60 million other people feel the same way.

Here I thought it was just me!

Of course not! Usually they're crabs.

Oh of course.

Our stay at Aulani was pretty magical. I thought the theming was tremendous. And really loved the whole pool, waterslide/lazy river area.

AKL and WL are no slouches, though.

Hmmmm. Maybe I need to stay at them to better compare.

Thanks. But man, do I feel old.

Join the club.

Very cool. I remember crouching down by the sidewalk and finding one of the drains. The water on the hotel side was a lot cooler than the water flowing out down to the pool.

That makes sense. Don’t need to heat the first two pools.

I love the idea for the theme, but I'm not sure how you choose a menu for "space". Is it all freeze-dried?

Nah. It just has to make you vomit.
and come out of a tube.

It's like that discussion we keep having about why we need the World's Fair to come back.

Hey, look! A rotary phone!

Wow!!!!

Yeah, I think that was our consensus. We would go back just for the HP stuff...and probably spend almost all of our time doing HP stuff.

Haven't you seen the news? It's awful, people are dying, millions are infected, there's absolutely no way to control--oh, wait, you live in a different country. Carry on.

But Trump said it’s under control.

Thank you, @pkondz . I truly appreciate you saying that. Sometimes it's still hard to believe that people read these things, but I'm glad you do. The fact that you care enough to follow along and join in conversation means the world to me. Especially in a time when we're not allowed to get together with our friends very often, it's very comforting and rewarding to have friends in a virtual space like that. I appreciate you.

Thanks, Mark. Miss being able to visit my good friends.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Enjoyed reading all about your family adventures. Good luck with your Alaska decision. If you decide against Alaska, will we be reading a TR about the Oblivious Family staycation?

Thanks for reading, Jen! This has just been a brutal year.

We've finally made the decision to pull the plug on Alaska. So we're currently trying to figure out a plan B for the remaining part of the summer.

Thanks for the report Mark. It was a joy to read, as always.

Thanks for reading, Jeff!

I wish I could help you make your Alaska decision - well, I wish none of us were in the situation where we had to make decisions like that - but I really wouldn't know what to do myself.
Due to so much uncertainty, my family will most likely just end up sticking around the house all summer, and I hate the idea of that. I don't necessarily want to fly anywhere, but I don't like the idea of us not venturing much farther than the back yard all summer either. I may try to get a small staycation in sometime, but not sure where, and if I book anything it will be fairly short notice with job schedule uncertainty for both me and my wife, so I have no idea what kind of availability is around these days.

I hope you are able to do another trip report of some kind in the not too distant future.

This year sucks. Period.

If the worst thing that happens is I lose a vacation, I can handle that. Lots of people have it worse.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Here I thought it was just me!

Apparently a few other people like Disney, too.

Hmmmm. Maybe I need to stay at them to better compare.

Yes. That's really the only way to properly do it.

Join the club.

I think I have.

That makes sense. Don’t need to heat the first two pools.

Nah. It just has to make you vomit.
and come out of a tube.

I don't think anybody wants to see my vomit coming out of a tube.

But Trump said it’s under control.

Thanks, Mark. Miss being able to visit my good friends.

I was telling a friend that I think the entire country (and by extension, the world) is suffering from depression. If you think about it, everything we love--travel, sports, movies, concerts, parties, restaurants, bars, hanging out with friends--was taken away all at once. That's traumatic.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Well, folks, here's the update: we pulled the plug on the Alaska trip. It was a sad day yesterday, but I think ultimately it was the call we had to make. In the end, there were too many worst-case scenarios that I couldn't rule out. I think the most likely scenario is that we could have traveled and had a great time and been fine. But there was also risk of either getting the virus, or someone else getting it and causing something on the itinerary to be shut down, and that risk was much higher than zero. In the end, it was too high for me to be comfortable spending the money to go.

I kept coming back to the thought that if there's a delay in test results for any reason, or even one person at any place we visit (attractions, hotels, etc.) gets infected, the trip is hosed.

So we'll try again next summer. I hope.

Now I'm just trying to come up with something to do as a plan B.