A Whole New Post COVID World (Nov. 2021 and Dec. 2021 TRs) UPDATE 1/28/24

[disneywlf]

Introduction:
Hello again everyone and welcome! Wow, it has been quite sometime since I have posted a TR and it's good to be back! I have had the pleasure of meeting many on Disboards, but in case you have not met me, my name is Wolf and I am a 30-year old male (29 at the time of the trip), still living with my Mother in Delray Beach, FL (formerly Westbury, NY) for over five years now! Since my last trip report covering my trip in March 2018, I had not been to WDW until November 2021 and December 2021. In addition, a lot had changed in my life since the writing of my last TR. While I had been taking post-baccalaureate courses at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton up until June 2019, I abandoned that course of study as due to a bitter divorce between my parents hurting me and my Mother financially. I continued with my side business I started with my Mother, specializing in doing online shopping for people in order to help them by using tricks in order to get them the best products at the best price until March 2020, when I decided to go out of business due to COVID-19 . Due to abandoning my studies as well as not doing as well with my business as hoped (don't worry, it taught me a lot and thanks to running my business, it made me even better at my other jobs and I gained a lot of experience! ), I joined the workforce full time in November 2019, first working at a major department store at a mall near my home, which was great and then after leaving there, I found even better work in the hospitality industry, working for a major hotel chain in Northern Palm Beach County for the past year and a half! I love front-facing customer service and just like retail, there are many thrills to working in the hospitality industry and I am truly blessed to be with amazing coworkers and most importantly, guests and I hope to stay and potentially grow with this job for a very long time! When I am not at work, spending time with my family (including our now six Affenpinschers (or “Monkey-like” terriers in German) and friends, travel (including WDW of course!), swimming, classic rock, automobiles, history, and politics. Since we moved to Florida from New York back in December 2016, I have been to Walt Disney World three times for day trips with my Mother in November 2017 to Epcot as well as December 2017 and February 2018 to the Magic Kingdom, and my overnight trip to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot in March 2018. As I had mentioned earlier, I had not been to WDW in close to four years before my TR due to tight finances as a result of my Mother's divorce as well as COVID-19. Since June 2020, our financial outlook improved a little bit, as I was able to finance a car in the form of a 2020 Kia Forte to get to work and around town. However, me and my Mom had to sell our second home in the western edges of Delray, where we resided from January 2019-March 2021. It was a beautiful home in a beautiful neighborhood, but due to finances still being tight, we had to sell that home and as of March 2021, we are currently renting an older home in Delray, in a quiet neighborhood between the Florida's Turnpike to the west and Interstate 95 to the east. It works for now, but if I found a magic lamp with a genie , one of my wishes would be a lot of money, so I would be able to buy my Mother a residence that is equal to or better than where we used to live. However, even if I had a lot of money, I would not change my life otherwise, as I love the area where I live as well as my job and many other aspects of my life! With a little bit of time from work as well as COVID-19 numbers going down overall somewhat, I decided to take a few trips to WDW in Fall 2021 (had to split them due to work)! Now, "second star to the right and straight on 'til morning (er the Trip Report haha)!"
-Taken in November 2021 in the Magic Kingdom:

Favorite Character: Tough call, but I am going to go with Mickey Mouse

Favorite Movie(s): "Aladdin," "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "Toy Story", "Cruella"
Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom, but I love all of them
Favorite Attractions: Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Dumbo, Mickey’s Phillarmagic, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, and Soarin’ to name a few!

 

[disneywlf]

Table of Contents:
Introduction
How?
"Second Star to the Right and Straight 'til Disney"
So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 1
So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 2
So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 3
So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 4

 

[disneywlf]

How?
Like my previous trip in March 2018, I opted to go solo, as my Mother did not want to do an overnight at this time and we also have six Affenpinschers (or Monkey-like terriers in German), Gwendolyn, Arabella, Zaava, Pooky, Zarina, and Zavarra. As a result, we only do day trips to WDW and we went to Epcot in November 2017 and the Magic Kingdom twice in December 2017 and February 2018. I would have gone with a friend, but due to timing on my end, my friends were busy, so I decided to say "hakuna matata" and go solo, as it gives me the chance to take the parks at a slower and less rushed pace. Anyway, when I planned this this trip, I had to work a little bit harder, as for the overnights of my stay, I wanted to make sure I was able to obtain a discounted night from the hotel chain where I am employed. In addition, since I had not been at my job a full year during the time of this report, I could only use two days off per week, so a prolonged Disney trip would be out of the question (I since got my PTO in March 2022 and used it to go to Vegas in September 2022, another one of my favorite destinations and a place I had not been to in over 20-years). Also, due to high season at my job being from mid-December until mid-April thanks to those being tourist heavy times in beautiful Florida, I wanted to avoid traveling during those dates as well. In October 2021, I began researching hotels in my hotel chain around the Disney World area and since none of their hotels in the Disney Springs Resorts Area were available at the rate I wanted (I previously stayed at the Buena Vista Palace in January 2005, November 2007, January 2012, and January 2016 as well as the Hilton in January 2011 and January 2014), I decided to look at hotels off of Disney property but nearby. On the recommendation of a friend at work, who is also a Disney fan, I looked at the Hilton Garden Inn on Palm Parkway, as she had said she had great experiences there in the past. Lo-and-behold, I found a discounted room rate at a cost less than a ticket to the parks at the Hilton Garden Inn for the night of November 21st, 2021 in October 2021.

This would be my first of the two Disney trips, so I decided to make my first park the Magic Kingdom, as that is my favorite park at WDW and was also taken in by the decorations for the 50th Anniversary, so my next step would be to check the park reservations calendar for November 21st, 2021 and lucky for me, the Magic Kingdom had plenty of availability! With that in mind, I proceeded to make a theme park reservation on Disney's website after buying a ticket.



After selecting the date for my reservation at the Magic Kingdom, I was then taken to a disclaimer page, stating that you would not hold Disney liable should you get COVID-19, which was understandable given the times we were living in.

With the COVID-19 liability waiver checked off and my park reservation for the Magic Kingdom booked, I then looked for hotel availability and park reservations after Thanksgiving for Disney's Hollywood Studios, as I had not been there since January 2014 and wanted to see the new attractions, particularly Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land, which did not exist when I last went to WDW. Lucky for me, I found a discounted hotel rate at the Homewood Suites on Palm Parkway, next door to the Hilton Garden Inn for the night of Thursday, December 2nd, 2021 and a park ticket and reservation for DHS on Thursday, December 2nd. Without further ado, I went ahead and booked my park tickets for DHS and accommodations at the Homewood Suites for Thursday, December 2nd, 2021. Right after I made those reservations, I then informed my workplace that I would need my two days off during my work weeks set for November 21st-22nd, 2021 and December 2nd-3rd, 2021 and it was no issue. With all of my reservations booked and my days off set, all of my (Donald) ducks (had to add that since it was Donald Duck's birthday yesterday ) were in a row, there was nothing further I had to do except to pack and await my trip!

 

[disneywlf]

"Second Star to the Right and Straight 'til Disney":
Good morning everyone! Hope you are all doing well and having a wonderful weekend. To all those who are celebrating, be it fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and of course, the parents who wear both hats like my Mother (who by and large raised me on her own), Happy Father's Day!
Believe it or not, it has been over a year since I visited the Magic Kingdom and DHS. Unfortunately, I have been super busy with work, which is why I have not had a chance to go on the DIS. After booking my trip to Disney, all I had to do was wait and lo and behold, Saturday, November 20th, 2021 arrived!

This meant only thing. It meant that I had one day until I would go to WDW for the first time in over 3-years at the time of the trip

. Since I had to work a shift at the hotel from 7:00AM-3:00AM, I awakened at 4:45AM, as I needed to get ready and make the approximately 40-minute commute from my home to work in Northern Palm Beach County. After getting ready and having breakfast, I left home at about 6:15AM, making a smooth and quick drive from my home to work via I-95 northbound. Since the drive went a bit quicker than expected, I clocked in about five minutes early and reported for my shift. From about 7:00AM to a little after 9:00AM, I completed my morning tasks, until I took my AM break for a little bit since it was not busy. At that time, I went on my phone to see if there was any availability for Chef Mickey's, as I learned they were doing a socially distanced character meal and loved eating there in the past as it as an excellent way to make the Fab Five, they have high quality food, and of course, a festive atmosphere! Unfortunately, I had not had any luck getting ADRs for the evening of Sunday, November 21st, 2021, as I wanted to end my planned evening at the MK with a nice meal. Undeterred, I decided to check availability for Chef Mickey's one last time for that evening and to my luck, I obtained a reservation for 9:25PM for 2 guests. Now, the reason I booked for two guests is that while I was traveling solo, I learned from a CM as well as a guidebook that a lot of the restaurants at WDW tend to have an easier time booking tables for even numbers of guests. With this in mind, I was advised to still make the reservation and say that I was by myself, as I would at least have a table. Since I considered myself very lucky as Chef Mickey's is a hot ticket meal, I went ahead and booked my ADR!

After this point, I continued to perform the remainder of my duties and as the day went by, my hotel got a bit busier, so I had many guests to take care of, making my day that much more exciting! Once 3:00PM rolled around, I thought I was finished but since it continued to be busy, I ended up staying an extra ten minutes to assist my coworker so he would not be overwhelmed. With all of our guests attended to, I left work at about 3:10PM, then taking I-95 southbound towards my home. As I was driving home, I touched base with my Mother, who asked me if I wanted to meet her at the Target on Hagen Ranch Rd in Boynton Beach? We needed to get some groceries and other supplies for the house as well as couple of items for my trip, so I was happy to oblige. I then continued on I-95 southbound, passing through Northern and Central Palm Beach County until I reached Boynton Beach, then leaving the highway at Exit 57: FL-804 (Boynton Beach Boulevard). Once I exited I-95, I turned right to head west on Boynton Beach Blvd (FL-804), driving past the various shopping centers and communities lining the road, until I hit the intersection of Boynton Beach Blvd and Hagen Ranch Rd, where I made a left and then entered the parking lot of Target. Once there, I was very happy to see my Mom and while there, we picked up groceries, supplies for the house, and toiletries for my trip. With our Target run done, we then drove ten minutes to our home in nearby Delray Beach. Once at home, I then prepped a delicious dinner of some kosher Italian Sausage I found at Target (I keep Kosher at home but outside the home, I am more lenient), peppers, and gluten-free pasta. After dinner, I spent time with my Mother and dogs and also packed my suitcase with clothes and toiletries for my trip as well my drawstring bag, which I would use while touring the parks with a sweatshirt in case it got cooler at night as well as my digital camera (while I mainly use my iPhone which is fabulous for taking photos, there is still nothing like a good old fashioned digital camera in some cases). Since packing took a bit of time, I got ready for bed and ended up not going to sleep until about 10:30PM, meaning I would only get about four hours of sleep, as I wanted to be up at 2:30AM so I could hit the road by 4:00AM (it's about a 2.5-3 hour drive from my residence to WDW) to get to the park around opening and possibly check in at my hotel. As I fell asleep, I thought about all of the changes that were occurring at WDW due to COVID-19 and economic factors, like supply chain issues. I knew to expect changes due to social distancing, like no character greetings like in the old days (though these returned in the Spring of 2022 Thank G-d! ) and wearing the masks in certain spots, but naturally, was concerned of negative changes like reports that the CMs were not giving service up to the Disney standard (thankfully, this was not the case in my experience as all of the CMs I met were fabulous) and the parks not being kept up as well (thankfully, the parks were in good shape and for the most part, pretty clean, if not quite up to the standard pre-COVID, which I will explain about later). However, mostly, I was excited just to be back at WDW! For the time I was asleep, I slept well and by 2:30AM, my phone's alarm went off, awakening me. Unfortunately, I was still very tired, so I played the dangerous game of lying down for a few minutes and did not awaken again until 3:45AM

. I knew this would throw my plans off a bit somewhat, as I figured that if at best if I left by 5:00AM, I would be in the Orlando area at around 8:00AM, leaving me with not much time as I would still need to park, clear security to enter the park, and get to the Magic Kingdom from the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). Since I was all packed, all I had to do was get ready and eat a small breakfast before hitting the road, it was not too difficult getting ready and right before 5:00AM, I already loaded my suitcase and drawstring bag into the trunk of my Kia. Also, I grabbed some water bottles and cans of La Croix Sparkling Water, so I would be able to bring some water into the parks to stay hydrated. Just before I left, my Mother woke up, so we hugged each other goodbye and I bid my dogs a fond farewell. Now ready to go, I got into my car, connecting my iPhone to Apple CarPlay so I could enable navigation for my trip as well as Spotify, with "The Ultimate Disney Roadtrip Playlist," which features a robust collection of songs from various Disney features to set the mood for my trip

.

As always, I found the Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce Service Plaza to be a fantastic stop, thanks to its convenience as well as how clean and kept up it is, even with the many people that use it. About five minutes after I entered the Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce Service Plaza, I then went back to my car, seeing that the time was 6:07AM. This meant that I had about 116-miles left to drive and a drive time of 1:39 to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), which meant that if I continued to make good time, I would be there by 7:46AM.

Now done at the service plaza, I merged back onto the Florida's Turnpike, passing through the rest of St. Lucie County and then continuing northbound through swaths of uncharted land and farmland in Indian River County, where I then saw the sun rise while I was driving. As the sun rose and the sky brightened, revealing gorgeous clear skies, I then found myself driving even further as I had passed even more swaths of uncharted land and farmland in Okeechobee County, Indian River County again, and the southern portion of Osceola County. Since my arrival time was now later at past the eight o'clock hour, I decided to take it a little slower than planned and stop at my hotel, where I would drop off my bags, park my car, and get an Uber or Lyft to/from the Magic Kingdom as it would be cheaper and easier than parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). I figured worst case scenario, I could make up for lost time by purchasing a Lightning Lane to get on certain attractions. The drive continued to go smoothly and by about 7:30AM, I was already in the Kissimmee and Orlando areas. Making excellent time on my drive, I was already leaving the Turnpike from Exit 251: FL-417 (Central Florida GreeneWay)-Tampa, Daytona Beach, Orlando International Airport. While I have traveled to the Orlando area many times, this routing was a little new for me, as I had never used this exit before, so I was a bit confused. My GPS first instructed me to stay in the right two lanes to head onto the Central Florida GreeneWay (FL-417) northbound towards Orlando International Airport and Sanford. The ramp would then fork, so I was then instructed to use the left fork to merge onto the Central Florida Greeneway (FL-417) southbound towards Tampa. I continued on the Greeneway for about the next four miles, passing through the Hunters Creek area of Orlando with its many communities and shopping centers until I reached Exit 6: International Drive to FL-536/FL-535/I-4 east to Epcot, Disney Springs. I then followed the ramp to turn right to head north on International Drive, now seeing large hotels and other buildings in the distance, meaning I was getting that much closer to the tourist bubble haha! With my drive coming close to an end, I followed International Drive northbound to Daryl Carter Parkway and turned left, driving one mile past the back of the Regency Village shopping center on the eastbound side of Daryl Carter Parkway. I had been to Regency Village before, and went to the Publix in that shopping center on my trips to WDW in January 2011, January 2012, and January 2014. However, I was seeing this area of Orlando from a new perspective since I had never driven in this area and saw points of interest I had not seen before, like the Bluegreen The Fountains Resort, which appeared to be vacation rentals as well as a recently opened if not new Target on the westbound side of Daryl Carter Parkway. Anyway I digress. After passing over Interstate 4 and seeing the towering and grand Hilton Grand Vacations Club Parc Soleil Orlando close ahead, I then reached the intersection of Daryl Carter Parkway and Palm Parkway. At this intersection, I then made a left to head southbound on Palm Parkway, with less than a half mile to go! I could not believe I was that much closer to WDW and with that excitement building up, I was finally turning left into the complex where the Hilton Garden Inn was located, which is shared by a few other hotels.
By 7:49AM, I had arrived at the Hilton Garden Inn Lake Buena Vista/Orlando.

I then parked my car and lucked out, as I got a space fairly close to the lobby.

With the time being ten to eight, I unloaded my suitcase and daybag, then headed into the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn to store my suitcase while I was touring the Magic Kingdom for the day and to check in for my reservation. As I approached the seven story building, I could see that it had somewhat of a Mediterranean style, as it had a reddish tile roof as well as warm yellow paint along most of the building. In addition, there was a small fountain as well as lush palms in front of both the Hilton Garden Inn and neighboring Homewood Suites by Hilton, adding a small touch of tranquility.

When I walked into the Hilton Garden Inn's lobby, the interior definitely contrasted from the exterior, as it was rustic, yet modern, with a circular and hoop shaped chandelier hanging in the center of the lobby.

In addition, on the left side of the entryway, I could see a fireplace as well as teal and yellow and sand colored couches, making the lobby feel even more cozy.

Taking in the scene of the lobby as well as the exterior, the property looked well maintained and very clean! I then walked up to the Front Desk, where I was greeted by Guest Services Manager Renee and her assistant, Jeff. They were both very warm and welcoming, making for an excellent first impression! They noticed on my reservation that I worked for the same chain where I work, so we talked about our industry for a bit. They asked how I liked the hospitality industry and I told them that I love it, as I enjoy taking care of guests, my coworkers, and of course, the fact that no two days are the same! They loved that answer and Renee revealed she had been in the industry for 31 years! I congratulated her and told her that I hoped that G-d willing, I would be in the industry for a long time. Renee and Jeff then told me that I would have a room on the 7th floor, which was the top floor and honored my request to the letter. However, since it was so early and the hotel was sold out the night before, it would not be ready until later in the day. This would be no issue, as they would be able to store my suitcase until I returned and the room would be ready well before I would return from the Magic Kingdom and Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort, so this worked well. They asked about my plans for the day and I told them I would be visiting the Magic Kingdom and then having dinner at Chef Mickey's. Renee and Jeff said my plans sounded amazing and said that if possible, to get Genie+, to save time on waiting in lines since the parks were more crowded than usual. I was with them, as while I was only planning on getting a Lightning Lane reservation for 7DMT (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train), I would be delaying my entry into the Magic Kingdom due to my late start this morning. Since I was a little hungry as I had not eaten for close to four hours, I asked about breakfast at the hotel and I learned that while the Hilton Garden Inn does not do a free breakfast, I could purchase a ticket to the Homewood Suites next door and partake in their breakfast for $4.95. I decided to purchase a ticket for breakfast and now on my way, Renee and Jeff wished me a wonderful day! On my way out of the Hilton Garden Inn, I could not help but notice this advertisement for WDW, indicating that yes, I was that close to the magic!

I then walked next door to the Homewood Suites by Hilton, which looked somewhat similar in appearance to the Hilton Garden Inn, but slightly different thanks to stonework on the lower halves of the beams holding up the port cochere, which made it slightly more rustic looking than the Hilton Garden Inn.

Once inside, I then turned left past the Homewood's Lobby to head into the Dining Room. At the Hostess stand, I was then greeted by Colleen, who was cheerful and efficient. She invited me to sit anywhere I wished, so I took her up on her offer and found myself a seat near the window, so I could take in the scenery. Unsurprisingly, the dining room was packed with guests!

I then checked out the dining room, which had an even more rustic character on the inside than the Hilton Garden Inn, with its centerpiece being a tall fireplace dividing the dining room from the lobby. In addition, three hoop shaped chandeliers, similar but not quite the same as the ones at the Hilton Garden Inn due to light fixtures that differed in shape made the dining room almost rustic chic.

I then proceeded to the Breakfast Buffet, which was well stocked, clean, and had a good selection of food. I opted for some Turkey Sausage Patties (this worked out perfectly since I do not eat pork due to keeping somewhat kosher), Breakfast Potatoes, Grits, and Orange Juice. If I may make a Disney joke and I remember this from the time I ate at the Crystal Palace Character Breakfast back in March 2018, Piglet would have still breathed a sigh of relief at my breakfast this morning, as there was not a pork product to be found. Once at the table, I then quelled the rumbly in my tummy (what can I say, I couldn't resist another Winnie the Pooh reference) with tender and juicy sausage patties, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and salty breakfast potatoes, and sweet and tangy orange juice. While still very good, the grits were a bit soupy in texture but had a slightly salty flavor that was on point.

I also played around a bit with my digital camera to get a feel of it and got a couple of selfies, as it had a selfie mode.

After my delicious breakfast, I then opened the Disney World app and got Genie+ suggestions. Since I was running late as the time was 8:59AM, I decided to purchase the Genie+ for $15.00, the price at the time of my trip and an Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) for $9.00 from 3:15PM-4:15PM for 7DMT, so I could get as much done in the Magic Kingdom as possible. While I was at it, I reviewed my daily plans, including my ILL for 7DMT and later that evening, my 9:25PM reservation for Chef Mickey's. With my Genie+ reservations made and now full again from breakfast, I then went to the lobby, where I then switched to the Lyft app and hailed a Lyft to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). Five minutes later, my Lyft arrived in the form of a 2014-2019 Toyota Corolla and I was overjoyed, as I would be heading back to the Magic Kingdom for the first time in over three years! What would my day be like? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 1:
After a morning that got off to a bumpy start thanks to oversleeping but otherwise turned out well, I had arrived in Orlando a little before 8:00AM. Since I knew I would be late for the opening of the Magic Kingdom, I started the day a little differently by arriving at my hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn on Palm Parkway in Lake Buena Vista to drop off my bags and check-in for my reservation. I then decided to have breakfast there and purchase Genie+ and an ILL (Individual Lightning Lane) for 7DMT from 3:15PM-4:15PM. With all of those things said and done, I then got a Lyft to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), where I would then get a monorail or ferry to the Magic Kingdom, ready to start my day! By the time my Lyft arrived, which was in the form of a 2014-2019 Toyota Corolla, I was overjoyed. My driver, who was polite, if not a bit quiet, began our drive by turning left onto Palm Parkway, where we then passed more hotels, multiple shopping centers, and residential developments until we reached the intersection of Apopka-Vineland Road about a couple of miles later. At this intersection, Apopka-Vineland Road then runs south as FL-535, where it ends at US-192 in Kissimmee. Going in the other direction, the road runs north as Orange County Road 435 into Mount Plymouth, north of Orlando and Apopka. However, we would pass the intersection, heading west and then north along Apopka-Vineland Road (Orange County Road 535), which runs along the eastern boundary of WDW property. At almost ten after 9:00AM, we then turned left onto Buena Vista Drive from Apopka-Vineland Road.

This was definitely an interesting way to enter WDW property, as I got to see some backstage areas of the property I had not seen before as we headed west down Buena Vista Drive, including some Distribution Centers as depicted below.

Further west down Buena Vista Drive, I saw more distribution centers, including one for the Arribas Brothers Warehouse.

Although I had never gone this way when entering or traveling around WDW property, it was definitely a treat as I loved seeing all of the distribution centers and behind the scenes items that contribute to the magic of keeping the WDW Resort running. From there, we then turned right onto Live Oak Lane. After that, we then turned left onto Vista Boulevard from Live Oak Lane. As we drove along Live Oak Lane, we then passed Golden Oak, where you could live right within the magic if you really wanted to! With its many types of various trees as well as multiple lakes, from what I could see, it looked peaceful and pastoral!

In addition, what I could see of the homes behind the wall, Golden Oak looked very lavish as well!


This was confirmed by the large, if not understated entrance, with a road that also led to the ultra luxurious Four Seasons Hotel.

Once we passed Golden Oak, I knew we were getting closer, as we passed the many trees that made up the lush forest of Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Although it is on WDW property, I have no doubt that you could feel quite removed from the hubbub of being on WDW property, while still close to the magic.

During the course of my ride to the TTC, my driver, whose name escapes me, made excellent time as by 9:11AM, we were at the interchange of World Drive.

My excitement built up because only a minute later, we turned left off of World Drive onto Seven Seas Drive, where we would enter the TTC.

A few minutes later, I had arrived at the TTC. Thankful for a smooth and quick ride with my Lyft from my hotel, I then made my way towards the security checkpoint. Not unlike my last visit in March 2018, security at the Magic Kingdom was separated from the turnstiles, likely to reduce crowding and in this age of COVID-19, also help with social distancing. As I made my way to the security checkpoint, I took in the mostly clear skies and warm temperature, which was in the mid-70s and would hit a a high of about 80 degrees, making for a comfortable and not too hot day of touring. In addition, seeing the two pentagon shaped flags on a nearby pole, which were purple in color and had a large 50 in gold font in their center, made for an impressive first impression and felt very royal in theming, tying in well to the Magic Kingdom.

I saw many people and the crowds were starting to build as I headed towards the security checkpoint.


Once at security, I found the CMs working to be very friendly and professional, just like in the pre-COVID-19 days and the process to be thorough and efficient. Once through, I followed the throngs of excited guests, making my way to the monorail station and ferry launch. The CMs were in excellent spirits, with bright smiles on their faces and did an excellent job at making sure the crowds of guests got through in an orderly fashion to their modes of transportation. Since a monorail was approaching, I decided to take the Express Monorail.

When I got up to the platform, I could see that Monorail Black, which was heading to Epcot, arrived first.

However, I would not have to wait long to head to the Magic Kingdom, as Monorail Red, which was operating as the Express Monorail between the TTC and MK, arrived a couple of minutes later.


After Monorail Red arrived, I boarded with other excited guests and I could not be happier, as I knew that I was that much closer to the magic. A few minutes later after a quick ride via "The Highway in the Sky," I arrived at the Magic Kingdom's monorail station. Although I did not do it, I was so excited, feeling like a little kid as inside, I felt like jumping up and down! After disembarking Monorail Red, more warm and welcoming CMs helped me get in through the turnstiles and was on my way, feeling in a happy state of disbelief that I would be back in the Magic Kingdom for the first time in over three years. With the time being a little before 10:00AM, I found myself in front of the Main Street USA Station for the WDW Railroad and I would have jumped for joy. The flower bed in front of the Main Street USA Station was decorated with topiaries similar to other times I had been to the MK, however, there was one key difference, which was a sign decorated in shades of light blue and purple, with an oval shaded in light blue and purple that had a gold 50 in the center of the sign and with a similar background to the oval, "The World's Most Magical Celebration" written across. In the front most flower bed that separates the feed from the turnstiles to the entrance of the MK, topiaries of Mickey and Minnie, with a golden bow tie for Mickey and a golden hairbow for Minnie, as well as a cake sculpture on top with a 50 added to the celebration!

Since I was starting almost an hour past opening, I decided to take it a little slower than expected, as I knew that there would be longer lines as I missed out on being at the park right at opening. However, I was just grateful to be back, so I would do as much as I was able and just take it all in. The only Genie+ reservations I had for the time being were a Lightning Lane for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from 11:00AM-12:00PM and an Individual Lightning Lane for 7DMT from 3:15PM-4:15PM. As I entered the park, I began to feel the magical energy, thanks to the various instrumental versions of Disney tracks playing. Walking underneath the Main Street USA train station, I of course saw frames of posters for various attractions.

Once I entered the park, I was in a state of sheer happiness, as it was gorgeous to see the American flag standing tall, the gorgeous Christmas tree out front (although the Christmas decorations were as beautiful as ever, I did notice that there were less than years prior thanks in part to cuts resultant of COVID-19 as well as Chapek's poor decision making and cost cutting), and of course, the buildings lining Main Street USA that made you feel as if you were in early 1900s Marceline, MO, where Walt himself grew up.

What would the rest of the day hold? Stay tuned to find out!

 

[disneywlf]

So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 2:
After a magnificent and magical start to my day at the Magic Kingdom, I took in the energy of the front of Main Street USA, where a golden bust of Lady and the Tramp, which were put out for the 50th Anniversary and added to the scenery of the MK and celebrated their animated features.

Over at the Town Square Theater, I noticed that the line to meet Mickey Mouse was only 5-minutes. Although I would be seeing Mickey and his friends later that night at Chef Mickey's, I entered Town Square Theater, as I would be foolish not to see Mickey!

Once inside, two very warm and welcoming middle aged to slightly older female CMs who greeted me as I entered, asked how I was doing? I told them that I was doing well and that I was glad to be back at WDW, especially as I had not been back in a few years until this point. I asked them how they were doing and they said that they were excellent, as they were having an amazing day working at the MK and grateful that the guests were returning more and more each day, as crowds were lower due to COVID-19. As a little way of spreading some Disney magic, they insisted I take a couple of Mickey head stickers. Not one to say no, I was happy to oblige. I then entered the line, making some small talk with the other guest waiting. As we all waited, a young female CM attending to the line, who was spunky in nature and had a name tag indicating she was from Texas (sadly, her name escapes me, but I think it was Jennifer?), made small talk with another guest that she was also from "The Lone Star State." Somehow, they got onto the topic of Buc-ee's, a well regarded chain of gas stations with humongous convenience stores based in Texas. The CM mentioned how she loved Buc-ee's and as we were all conversing, I mentioned that a Buc-ee's had opened up a little earlier in 2021 in Daytona Beach off of I-95, not too far from WDW. Somehow, everyone's interests was piqued when I mentioned this fact and I said that after the MK would close for the day, we should all drive to Daytona, which is not too far from WDW and go to Buc-ee's. Although the CM knew we were joking, she had to get in on the fun and said she would even invite Mickey himself. As our playful banter came to an end, I then had the pleasure of seeing "The Mouse" himself for the first time in years!

And what a moment it was!! Although we were unable to hug due to social distancing rules (if I am not mistaken, regular character greetings were brought back in Spring 2022), Mickey gestured excitedly and could see how excited I was! In addition, with his special 50th Anniversary suit, I also told how dapper he looked and he gestured a hearty thank you! In addition, I wished him a Happy 93rd birthday and told how much I missed him and how grateful I was to see him again. He gestured multiple air hugs and I did the same, feeling over the moon to see "The Big Cheese" again!

Unfortunately, due to their not being Photopass CMs at Character Meet & Greets, I ended up snapping a couple of selfies with Mickey Mouse!


Overjoyed and thankful to have seen my old friend, who I would see again later along with "The Fab Five," I then headed back onto Main Street USA. I also got one more pic of the Christmas tree.

I then began walking right down the Middle of Main Street USA (sorry, could not help but think of the "Disney Sing-A-Longs" video from my youth),

However, I was stopped in my tracks, as I caught a performance of The Dapper Dans. As always, their sweet serenades, including a fab rendition of "The Mickey Mouse Club Theme Song," truly making me feel as if I was in a more easy going and even happier time!


As I got closer to the castle, it looked absolutely stunning as usual and although I love it in its normal state, I thought the pink turrets as well as the circular blue, light purple, and golden crest with a gold 50 in the center added some extra elegance for this special occasion. Although the skies were beginning to get a little overcast, it could not have been a better day weatherwise.

A closer look...


And with the "Partners" statue of Walt and Mickey in front...

While I was at the castle, I knew I wanted to get photos in front of it. However, before that, another guest asked me if I could take his family's photo, since they were not able to find a Photopass photographer. I was glad to do so and got a few shots. I then gave them back their phone and he loved my pics. I asked him if he could return the favor and gladly obliged, getting some excellent shots...



Thankful for this guest's help, we then parted ways and although this was my 11th trip to WDW, I still stared at the grandeur of Cinderella's Castle, which amazed me just like my very first visit in January 2005, when I was 12 years old. Although it was nice just to stop and smell the roses, I still wanted to at least see some attractions. As I consulted the Genie+ app on my phone, I saw that Space Mountain had a 50-minute wait, which wasn't terrible. Making my way from the hub towards Tomorrowland, I first got a shot of a bust of Mickey and Minnie

Followed by one last photo of Cinderella's Castle from its side.

Excited, I made my way towards Tomorrowland, ready to hurtle towards the galaxy!

 

[disneywlf]

So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 3:
After not ceasing to be amazed by the always gorgeous Cinderella's Castle, it was time for me to hurtle off to the galaxy on Space Mountain. On my way there, I passed by The Mad Tea Party. While the Mad Tea Party may be a simple attraction, I still could not help but admire the looks of it, with its colors in whimsical patterns on the canopy over the ride, lanterns in multiple colors within the trees adding additional pops of color, and of course, the trees surrounding the attraction adding a small touch of serenity.

However, although the Magic Kingdom was looking clean and well maintained, I did notice what appeared to be some wear and/or dirt on the brick wall to the left of the attraction in the photo above. Nonetheless, it was still beautiful to see The Mad Tea Party again. Upon closer inspection, I also noticed a 50th Anniversary bust of the Cheshire Cat.

And of course, it wouldn't be The Mad Tea Party without a bust of The Mad Hatter!

By 10:13AM (thank you camera timestamp), I had arrived at the standby line for Space Mountain. The wait time posted was 50-minutes, which was not too terrible.

The line moved a bit quicker than expected and about 20-minutes later, I was about halfway through the queue. As I made my way through, I did notice wear and tear in spots, like on the stairs, which was a shame because as other people pointed out, former CEO Bob Chapek did cut back on employees due to the pandemic as well as his poor decision making, so there were not enough maintenance workers. However, I will say that for the most part, the Magic Kingdom looked very nice and all of the CMs in Maitenenance and Custodial Departments I saw did a phenomenal job, even with being short-staffed. Nevertheless, I was happy to be almost onboard Space Mountain.

And just look at all of the places I would see within the galaxy!

About 40-minutes later, a little less than the posted wait time, I had a magical time blasting off into the galaxy! Sure, Space Mountain may be bumpy and jostling, but Space Mountain's storyline and the twist and turns of this attraction never get old. Since it was close to 11:00AM and I had an LL for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from 11:00AM-12:00PM, I thought about making my way there, but not without taking in a little bit of Tomorrowland. Once off of Space Mountain, I could see Astro Orbiter and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover. As I was taking in the scenery, to my eyes, Tomorrowland looked even spiffier than on my previous visit in 2018, likely due to some fresh coats of paint from when WDW was sadly closed from March 2020-July 2020.

I passed the Galactic Gateway Stage next, where they used to hold dance parties and/or character meet and greets. Sadly, it was not in use when I was at the MK on this trip.

Astro Orbiter definitely looked as good as I remembered.

I even thought about riding Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which had a 35-minute standby wait.

However, since the time was 11:27AM, which would put me past the end of my LL slot for BTMRR, I decided against it and instead, made my way towards Frontierland. I knew I would come back later, as I love Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, but I did not want to miss out on BTMRR. Wasting no time, I was almost out of Tomorrowland by 11:40AM.

Although Tomorrowland looked more modern and spiffier in general, I thought that the new sign for Tomorrowland, although it fit in with the theming, definitely looked more pedestrian.

As I made my way through The Hub while going across the Magic Kingdom, this bust of Dumbo and Timothy Mouse caught my eye.

After crossing through The Hub past Cinderella's Castle, I was just about to cross the entrance of Liberty Square and have the chance to take in its colonial splendor.


These barrels and the crate labeled "Tea" below made me think of The Boston Tea Party, fitting in well with Liberty Square's theming due to it taking place during Colonial times. Great job Disney Imagineers on that tribute!

Although I have never been to Philadelphia, PA, this bust of The Liberty Bell had me in awe with how realistic and detailed it was. If it weren't for the fact that it were in Central Florida instead of Philadelphia, I would have thought it was the real thing!

I then passed by The Hall of Presidents, which I did not see on this visit.

After passing The Hall of Presidents but nearing Columbia Harbor House, I saw what appeared to be a flock of herons.
While there, I joked with a young female CM, who was manning the area. I told her that if Mickey and Pluto agreed to pay my Affenpinschers (monkey-like dog in German) in dog biscuits, they would be happy to help chase away the herons and any birds in the park. The CM, who was jovial, could not help but laugh and this added to an already amazing day. Not far from Frontierland, I would soon be at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Would I get to ride "the wildest ride in the wilderness" or would I be trapped by one of the gallows of Liberty Square. Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

So Happy to be Home! Magic Kingdom 11/21/2021 Part 4:
Whew! I am so sorry for the long time between updates I guess life just got very busy! Nevertheless, my goal is to finish this TR sometime soon, even though over two years have passed since this trip, as I still love remembering it since it was an amazing time! I hope everyone is having a great New Year and had a wonderful Holiday Season! Anyway, after a magical start to my morning taking in the old fashioned feel of Main Street USA, the grandeur of Cinderella Castle, and of course, hurtling off to the galaxy on Space Mountain, I was now beginning to take in the colonial splendor of Liberty Square on my way to my Genie+ Reservation at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Unfortunately, I was trapped by the gallows of Liberty Square. Bummer!

Thankfully, I was not trapped for long and I was on my way, even catching sight of the Liberty Belle sailing the waters of Liberty Square and Frontierland making for a splendid sight!


When I entered Frontierland, I truly felt transported to the wild west! The attention to detail of all of the buildings as well as the other theming like the music playing in the background would have made me feel like I was in the Wild West, as opposed to Central Florida.

Although I didn't ride it, I also passed Splash Mountain, which looked as fun as ever! Even on an overcast day like this, guests could not resist getting wet but more importantly, the charm of this attraction!

Finally, I had arrived at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, thankful to have my Genie+ reservation, as it would have been a 45-minute wait in the standby line, which was not horrible but still, it would be nice not to have to wait long.

Although I was able to breeze through BTMRR's queue, it never gets old admiring the queue's theming, like this chuck wagon for example.

Once onboard, I had a grand old time riding "the wildest ride in wilderness!" After riding BTMRR, I also got a couple of cool pictures in front of it.



I even had a Kodak...er Nikon moment in front of BTMRR!

Feeling a rumbly in my tummy as Winnie the Pooh would say, I decided to make my way over to Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn Cafe.

I had been to Pecos Bill on a few different Disney trips, most notably January 2016 and March 2018 and have always enjoyed it, thanks to their friendly and accommodating service, delicious food served in relatively large portions, and its convenience. Although the famous toppings bar was a COVID causality, Pecos Bill, the menu included, was otherwise the same as I remembered. told him that I wanted the Chicken Fajita, but my main concern was about the tortilla, as I knew from past experience that they use flour tortillas, which would not work for me since I am allergic to all grains except for corn and rice. With that in mind, Enrique immediately turned to the ingredients page for the tortillas. To no surprise, the tortillas were still flour-based. Enrique understood my situation and got Abigail, one of his Supervisors. She was very kind and understanding, going out of her way to make sure I was satisfied. As she consulted the ingredient book with Enrique. The only other issue with the ingredients were egg in an ingredient to flavor the cilantro-rice, so the fajitas sans tortillas were fine! In addition to substituting the cilantro rice for plain rice, Enrique and Abigail also offered me two bags of tortilla chips which were corn-based on the side (even though they normally cost extra on the menu) and advised that while my meal would take a couple of extra minutes to cook, in order to prevent cross contamination. With my order ready, Enrique put it through his POS system and told me I should receive my order fifteen minutes from when I placed it. Thankful for Abigail and Enrique's fantastic service, I then grabbed a seat in the dining room, which was busy, although not oppressively so. Just like I remembered, Pecos Bill evoked the feel of a hacienda, thanks to the dark yet warm colors as well as the brownish I think terra cotta floor tiles.

As promised, I received my order about 15-minutes after I placed it. Although the preparation of the Chicken Fajitas was slightly different, thanks in part mainly to the chicken, which was shredded as opposed to served in chunks on previous visits, it still made for an excellent lunch. In addition, despite the lack of the toppings bar, Enrique invited to come back to the counter if I wanted more of any toppings. Just like other times I ate at Pecos Bill, the meal was large in portion size and had moist and tender chicken, fluffy and slightly salty rice, the black beans were well cooked, the peppers were savory, the onions had a caramelized note, and the tortilla chips offered on the side were crispy and pleasantly salty. Although I still lament the loss of the toppings bar, I still enjoyed what I had nonetheless. The guacamole was smooth, creamy, and had a very slight garlic note, the tomatoes were sweet and savory, and the lettuce was fresh and crisp!

Now sated from my delicious lunch, I then used the restroom and was on my way to continuing my magical day! Since I did not want to upset my stomach by riding anything too intense, I decided to stick to more placid attractions. Since I was near Adventureland, one famous attraction stood out. That attraction would be Pirates of the Caribbean, which has always been a favorite of mine! After passing Splash Mountain once again, I was now crossing from Frontierland into Adventureland.

Jack Sparrow was being his swashbuckling self and doing a distanced meet and greet

Finally, I had arrived at Pirates of the Caribbean, which had a 35-minute wait.

The line moved quickly and while I waited, I loved marveling at all of the small details, like pieces of a pirate ship and this cannon.


About twenty minutes after I lined up for Pirates of the Caribbean, I found myself aboard a pirate ship, ready to swashbuckle on the Seven Seas!

As always, Pirates of the Caribbean never ceases to amaze thanks to its storyline, sophisticated audio animatronics, and of course, hearing "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" never gets old. Although it was about 2:30PM and I had already seen a lot, there was still more to see. Where would I head to next? Find out soon!