I 
THE BADGES
We are all surprised you were able to get rides in at all with this caveat 
Dang AI, him and AC should take a walk together 
And hopefully, the next trip will be paid in full by PIA employer!
Very much enjoyed! Can not wait till the next trip!
Thank you! Safe travels!
Nope, think he learned his lesson on answering phone, lol. But maybe, the promise made on there end isnt so terrible.
Badges were super fun - they were a great idea!
This, and not Covid, is the reason I have no desire to go back at this time. I tend to be a “glass half empty” kind of guy and instead of enjoying what was there, I’d just be saddened by what wasn’t there. Just like I don’t really enjoy FW anymore because I remember how awesome it used to be. Just like every time I’m in the MK I wish I was in DL instead. I see late '21 as the earliest I might go back, but more than likely sometime in '22.
Im going for christmas this year. Havent done a party or been for anything other than F&G so I think I will enjoy. Im ok with no fireworks and parades, as we skip them usually. Dont do a ton of TS, extra experiences, shopping. So I guess its all what makes the trip for you personally.
Thanks for the report!!! It does look like half the experience for the same price, which is why we plan on waiting. Your pictures were great and made me want to go! But yea we will wait til more comes back.
So thats how you got the badges on people’s posts. Nice job. Thanks for taking us along. Really helped get me psyched up for my trip, for which I am now waiting to board my plane. Maybe I can catch you on your next trip now that you have extra vacation time.
a sincere thank you, @Randall1028, for sharing your trip, photos, badges, drawings, thoughts, and witty banter! i’m happy to read you had a good time and appreciate your honest assessment of the current state of wdw. until next time… safe travels back and be well! 
What a fun trip report @Randall1028 Thank you so much for taking us along with you. It was a wonderful escape from reality and a cool glimpse inside the bubble during these crazy times.
Thanks, too, for your honest assessment of things. Too many times I think it gets sugar-coated when what people really need is honesty, especially those who are considering their own visits in the near future.
The badges were great fun - thanks for taking the time to create them and to have them handed out. And most definitely a huge thanks to @PrincipalTinker and @missoverexcited for their role in that too!!
So sorry your time ended sooner than anticipated and with such abruptness. Hopefully you’ll be able to return again soon and make good use of the compensation your employer (rightly) provided.
Safe travels home!
Exactly!! This was super helpful to me to see a thorough report from someone that has a knack for noticing and expressing every minute detail very well. To admit what you felt was lacking is just as important for me to hear as the things that were great.
Thanks so much for the wild ride! I definitely agree with OBNurseHN Tall_Paul1 - really appreciate the realness of the trip. I can’t imagine how much work it was for you to keep up with these posts while trying to take all the amazing pics and not forgetting to show us all the food and great things that are still at Disney! Thanks again, and I will be waiting for my book…
Should we expect them to randomly appear now?? 
So good to see you come out to the shadows. 
Thanks so much for the honest evaluation. Diminished Magic indeed.
I don’t have a trip planned any time in the near future; but I think the summary will have great value to anyone with a trip on the books
Loved following along and reading your report and all the crazy and funny sidebars that seem to become a part of your trip reports. Such a relief to have some fun in these dark times!!
Especially enjoyed the Achievement Medals!
Thanks @PrincipalTinker and @missoverexcited for all your work in making that happen!!
As always, awesome photos!!
So sorry that your trip came to such an abrupt halt.
Again, safe travels home. Will be looking forward to your next adventure.
They are soooo awesome. Bet they voted for @Randall1028, too late to change my vote? (He wanted to be voted in Lord of TRs if I lost u there, I voted for @Captain_heidelj_pillager_of_trip_reports bc I love mutiny!)
Plot twist: I arranged for work to call @Randall1028 back to complete my takeover
Edit: I absolutely did not do that
It’s funny, because I pretty much agree with everything you said, but I still would say YES! As long as expectations are realistic. I guess it depends on which things are most important to the traveler.
So sorry you got called back to work. That definitely shows poor management to allow everyone in a certain position to be gone at one time. We have basically three of us in my department (HR) and we have to carefully craft our vacation schedules to make sure one of us is here at all times. One of my coworkers got married in Hawaii in Feburary (just in the nick of time!) and the other attended the wedding. I volunteered to stay home and man the fort. I should get extra credit for that!
Dang, that would have been quite respectable
Edit: No it wouldnt have been 
Yes, yes u do! But now u also get top pick socially on when u will take ur next vacay, IMO!
From my perspective, being able to “stop and smell the roses” would be such a welcome change to my usual Disney commando approach that I feel it would warrant a trip just to experience that different brand of magic, if it were practical for me. I get that there’s certain experiences and elements missing from the usual, but it’s a matter of trade-offs.
I wouldn’t want it to be this way forever, however. Crowds, nighttime shows, parades, etc. are the better deal in the long term.
This is why Im going now. I want to experience Christmas but DH doesnt do disney at an 8 or 10 crowd level. Im usually, plan, plan, plan, go, go,go. It will be nice i think.