Just thought I'd report back about the mid November trip I took solo, since the only trip report I typed up went to some family and friends I know in person via email. It was fun and peaceful for the most part, Nov 13-19. Had a breakfast at Topolino's on my final full day there, a late dinner on arrival night at Enchanted Rose (first time there, very good), a dinner at BOG (always good but I need to remember to not get the lobster bisque in the future - it's just too bitter and not at all like the best one Les Chefs used to serve), finally tried Tiffin's (loved it), and stuck with counter service and leftovers back in the room for the rest of the meals. Josh is right about ABC Commissary....it doesn't matter how good something sounds or looks in someone else's review, I will never get food from there again ('nuff said). Queue-wise, it helped that I had a DAS pass (had my doctor's note to back up my bad knees and back treatment/claim) and a scooter (on all but one of my park days, and I really should have had a scooter that day at DHS - "Oh, this park isn't as big as the other ones. I'll be okay." Nope, not in rubber shoes, going all over the place all day, and with just my cane for leaning/walking help. It did a lot of damage to my feet, and rain I was prepared for never did come on any of my park days. Next time the rubber shoes stay in the bag and I'll wear normal shoes until the rubber ones are needed). I rented the scooters at the parks because I didn't want one for the entire time (at hotel, etc.) thinking it would be difficult to get Lyft rides with one. I took Lyft rides on all mornings except the day I took a monorail to MK, but the buses were empty enough for the rides home that I just stuck with those at night (took a boat back to GF the night I left MK). Despite the major blisters I got on my heels on the DHS day, which made me need wheelchair help on the airport day at the end for getting through all the terminals between my connecting flights, the trip was great and I loved being back there for what may be the last time in a long time. The family is now talking about going for Christmas 2021, though, if not sooner. But back to November's trip, I planned well (rode some things twice and only had to give up on trying to see the Frozen sing-along show because every time I got back there it was too late to be let in for the limited seating's queue. They allow people in the line 30 minutes early but not just 15 minutes or anything less than 30 minutes early. At least I'd seen the show before. I gave up on the racing academy show at DHS, since I was going to have to stand for 45 minutes while barely moving in the outdoor line. That day I only had the cane so it was easier to leave and walk around or sit anywhere else). I at least finally saw the Beauty & the Beast Sing-along in France at Epcot (cute). I turned 50 on the day I finally rode RotR (got lucky and was put in boarding group 32 the morning I tried just before and at 7 am in my room on my phone) and did enough that one day at DHS that I canceled the park pass for the second day there and wound up doing Epcot a second day (more time for the food booths). The only really bad thing was that three days into my trip (including arrival day when I went nowhere but the airports and hotel), when I phoned the hubby at home to see how he and our teen were doing, he told me that they were both experiencing COVID symptoms and had fevers starting that day. He didn't want me to come home, since I'm at higher risk and they didn't want me to get it from them. While Hubby did indeed test positive a few days later when he went to the drive-up testing our medical provider recommended (and we assume the teen was positive, too, though she didn't get tested - they had the same symptoms), they were lucky because they were both in good shape and they only had fevers for a few days, dry noses, and Hubby got dizzy on a couple different days. They never had tummy trouble or lost the senses of taste or smell. When I got home they were still contagious so Hubby told me to book a room at a Holiday Inn up the street and I stayed there for 9 nights all told without unpacking anything from the Florida trip (did have to pick up some colder weather clothes from home, though). Whenever I did come home for brief periods each day (I didn't move back for good until the Saturday after Thanksgiving), we all wore masks and they kept their distance from me. If I ate a meal with them at the house I stayed in a separate room (except for turkey night, when we at least moved me as far down the table as we could while Hubby moved closer to the other end with our kiddo). I spray-sanitized everywhere I could since they hadn't thought to do it while I was gone (they were also not feeling well, of course, so no hard feelings). I did laundry and cooked for them a few times. Hubby had been working from home since the day I left for Florida and is still working from home. The kiddo still did all her school work at home as usual but at a slower pace, and now she's done for the semester with straight As. Two negative tests later I still have not ever had COVID (I even had the antibodies test done last week, which was also negative). So, at least the money spent at Holiday Inn to keep me away from them for most of the time was worth it. It was more than I spent at Disney (probably about equal to the park tickets and airfare, which were paid off ahead of time). Hubby and kiddo are fine now, and so far they have no lingering after-effects. Knock on wood. Happy Holidays, everyone.
