Christmas in July is here! I held back my Thanksgiving Walt Disney World trip report due to time constraints, and I’m so excited to finally share it with you. Click here for the setup, and read all the posts in this report here. Onward!
Alas and alack, the final day of our Thanksgiving trip to Walt Disney World did arrive. What’s that It’s A Wonderful Life quote about bells ringing? Something about not asking for whom it tolls?
OUR LAST DISNEY DAY: THE BEGINNING
I have a habit of getting nostalgic about a trip before said trip is over, and after well over 6 months of planning this one, even my 7am Genie+ wakeup call was bittersweet. My Incredibles-themed shower was that much warmer, the orange blossom scent of the body wash that much richer. Yes, I am aware I am a crazy person.
The Contemporary tried to help by throwing an incredibly minor wrench into the works. Less than half the elevator bays were working. You could still get an elevator, but it was a slooooow process. Normally I’m a stairs girl anyway, but on floor 11 this was a touch more work than even I cared for.
On the other hand, Pat and I wanted our morning Contemporary Grounds lattes more than we didn’t want to climb, so we made good use of the outdoor stairwell. We clomped down eleven floors for our coffee fix and clomped right on up. It honestly wasn’t that bad, assuming you have the necessary mobility.
We clomped back down the stairs one more time to meet with Egon and company, at which point we walked over to the Magic Kingdom to begin our final day. 🙁 First on the docket: a Lightning Lane slot for Space Mountain, which I insisted we follow with a trip on the Peoplemover. Much like the Carousel of Progress before it, I don’t think anyone in the group could match half my enthusiasm for the ride, but everyone stayed awake this time.
Cindy and Alice, being non-driving children, really wanted to do the Tomorrowland Speedway next. Pat and I elected to sit this one out, instead posting up by the walkway to Tron to take some pictures. We managed to get a few shots as they went, oh, just absolutely whooshing by. 😂
This isn’t really important, but you’re on my time so I’m going to tell you anyway: after the girls went by, we tried to stop at the Joffrey’s by Space Mountain for some coffee. It was absolutely slaaaaaaammed at like 11am, to the point where we just skipped it. Is that normal?
Denied my precious latte, I instead got some regular coffee at our lunch stop, Columbia Harbour House. Naturally I managed to spill it all over my small world spirit jersey. Curses! Anyone know a fool-proof method to get coffee stains out of white clothes? At least the views from the upstairs eating area were nice.
And since we’d been looking at it anyway, we decided to hit up the Haunted Mansion next. Via the regular line and everything! Cindy and Alice felt this was a major imposition. The children have been spoiled since the advent of FastPass!
Whelp, the joke was on them: after 30 minutes or so of waiting, the ride broke down. Blast. We replaced this with a rollicking showing of… the Hall of Presidents! Boy did that go over like a lead balloon with the girls. Also I wish everybody would stop cheering and booing. No one is here to take a political poll, so let’s all just marvel at the audio animatronics in companionable silence, shall we? 😅
I managed to deliver a Lightning Lane slot for Big Thunder Mountain next, which was met with much greater enthusiasm. I followed this up with one more LL spin on Pirates of the Caribbean. Pat challenged Alice, who has a habit of grimacing for the camera, to make a funny face during the drop, and while she didn’t quite rise to the challenge she did provide two solid thumbs up. She’ll be model-perfect in no time.
MID-LAST-DAY
After some photos in front of Cinderella Castle, we ended our Magic Kingdom afternoon – but that was by no means it for The Last Day! We walked back to The Contemporary and collectively went for a spin through the main resort gift shop.
Alice had been on picked out one of those drippy silver Disney100 backpacks I can no longer look at without laughing (thanks a lot, the internet!); luckily, divorced from that context, they’re pretty cute. I myself wound up picking out a tree ornament version of the same motif… because it makes me laugh. 😆
I also grabbed a resort mug I’d had my eye on since day one. Do I collected Disney mugs now? Oh, good, another way for Disney to take my money. 🤪
Our groups went their separate ways for some in-room rest time before regrouping for an early dinner in California Grill. As I mention in that post, the value proposition there is subjective, but I’ve enjoyed all my meals there and this one was no different. It was too early for fireworks; still, the comparative early quiet and light-kissed views were their own kind of magic.
I had one more post-dinner trick up my sleeve: while chilling in the room, I snagged us one more Lightning Lane slot for the Haunted Mansion. Redo! Egon and Ariel felt like the girls still had the energy, and we skipped back over to the Magic Kingdom for one more go-round. There was a PhotoPass photographer waiting at the exit to help us commemorate the moment in blurry ghost fashion.
After our ride, we spent some time in the Momento Mori gift shop. The girls were permitted to select one last souvenir, which they did while the fireworks were actively happening???? Kids these days! I wound up standing outside under an alcove with a random Cast Member to watch the Moana bit. I think that’s the best part.
Of course, then I was the one ducking into the gift shop. I made one more quick stop at the Emporium looking fruitlessly for those ears (Which ears? These ears!) before reluctantly agreeing to call it a night. Back at the resort, I managed to stretch out the evening with one more round in the gift shop to buy a present for my grandmother.
OUR LAST DISNEY DAY: THE END
And then, tragically, I admitted that it was over. Pat and I went back to our room, watched a little light TV, and called it a night. In the morning I would drink a latte as I gazed at my theme park view balcony one last time. Then we would say goodbye to Walt Disney World, drive to the airport, and go home. Hey, at least I didn’t have to get up at 7am for any virtual queues or whatever. That’s… something…?
Sooo… yeah! That’s the end of my Walt Disney World Christmas in July trip report – and I even managed to smoosh it all into July proper. What a mitzvah! I do have one more post about random counter service meal and snack reviews, but otherwise mission accomplished.
As always, I would like to personally and sincerely thank each and every one of you who read this report. They do not generally number among my most popular posts, and yet I plug away at them because they bring me joy. Sort of a little trip time capsule every time I write or read one.
Hope to see you for my next trip report – I for one can’t wait!
Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Twitter @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!
I came across your blog looking for a review of Space 220 lounge for an upcoming trip in October with just my husband (first time sans children). I’ve enjoyed looking through all your posts especially your running ones (my son is a runner and has done the Disney runs virtually over the past few years but a bucket list item when he’s older is a half marathon at WDW)!
Oh my gosh, he should definitely sign up for a half – it’s the most fun ever! Thanks so much for reading. <3