Hi y’all… first trip report after lurking and absorbing your generous liner knowledge 
I will warn you: this is a lazy trip report. My partner works for a certain sports…news…network so we take advantage of the perks. I do have to smile and nod every time he’s asked “where do you make magic” and then they proceed to hum the famous SC intro, it’s a personal tax… tangent over!
We travelled with another couple, who are laid back DINKs but also love the mouse’s house; they stayed at Poly with a MK view (we hooked them up and we were slightly jealous) while we were at the Yacht Club with a nice quiet room thanks to room finder! Loved Poly but we are definitely Epcot/Skyliner resort folks. The Yacht Club is just perfect. Daily housekeeping was back, but we declined and had them clean once during our 4 night stay…they were always quick to empty the trash/recycling when left outside of our door. CMs were lovely in the resort, always accommodating and friendly. There was painting happening on our balcony, which caused a bit of noise and almost a peep show, but did not impede my experience and we still enjoyed our balcony in the evening. We will likely return to YC for our next stay.
Our room was ready about an hour after arrival of noonish- I read a book in the lobby and enjoyed every minute of the wait. Got some funny looks as I made the bold decision to be comfortable and left my neck pillow on as I lounged in the lobby- how radical! 
A glass of Prosecco was presented and that’s just the cue I need to begin vacation mode. Unpacked and headed to MK via bus- but not after a stop at the market for a resort cup, “someone” told me they hold a nice amount of that bubbly stuff- and it arrived no more than 5 minutes after we got to the bus stop. Our experience with the bus at YC has was good. Once we arrived onto Main St. I got very excited and decided MK can still be a favorite, even with the crowds and lack of adult beverages, the nostalgia hit me when we walked in, and AGAIN during evening magic hours (I will get there eventually). It was crowded. We prepared for that, but still a shock to see so many people all at once. We decided to choose an attraction and have a snack- I chose Winnie the Pooh as it’s been quite a while since I’ve been on, there was AC and a 20 minute wait. He (DBF makes me giggle) not only obliged my request, but was happy to try something new- he is the best 
We shared a pretzel with that amazingly nasty cheese and did some people watching. Saw some babies crying in unison, and I joked to their parents that break ups are hard… they did not think I was funny… I caught the end of a parade and had my own dance party, then we headed back to the resort. Our mission was to check into MK and we conquered. The people watching was an added perk. My favorite was the little girl sitting on a bench, having the most zen moment of her life while her chocolate Mickey bar dripped all the way from her mouth to her feet. Her face told me she had reached nirvana and I can only hope I absorbed some of her energy. Another crying babe on the bus back… WDW has really turned into the heartbreak hotel, huh? I’ll wait… Our pals arrived and settled in around 4 where they discovered the most amazing view ever!!! I scored them reservations to Topolinos and they had raving reviews. They enjoyed drinks at the lounge at the Riviera and watched the fireworks. They said it was magical- they haven’t been in quite some time so I hope it was the best reunion ever! We had dinner at Les Halles before EMH, enjoyed MORE bubbles. I know it’s not the best dining at WDW or even EP but I just love the escargot so much. A magical experience as always. Now came the moment I had to drunkenly swim upstream from IG to mission space, like a tipsy salmon, after the FW because we decided to walk back to YC for a moment since our dinner was a bit early. That was a lot. Yikes. Mission space orange is my favorite and can confirm it’s even better as a tipsy salmon. My partner does not understand my fascination, but again, he’s the best and encourages my wildest whims
Only managed to get two rides, but we were tired and wanted to settle in so two rides was a win. I love the rat ride! I do not love the shirt that was spotted that said “anyone can cook”… my partner decided to let anyone in ear shot know that is not true and pointed at me. Roasted just like that. It’s always the ones you love who betray you…
Day two we met up with our friends at Poly for breakfast at Ohana…. Wonderful. Love the lounges and drinks at Poly. And the ambiance. Totally night and day from the YC. It was nice to have the best of both worlds. They headed to EP and we went to HS for a drink at Ogas. We have not made it a priority to go there before this trip, but in the spirit of a lazy trip, decided it would fit in nicely. Drink was good, but felt pretty strong. I don’t trust bright colored beverages so I left it at one and done. Weather was dicey but we managed to time it right. Muppets and a shared pizza at the other rats place was perfect and enough of HS for me. Went back to the YC via friendship boat and got ready to head back to the Poly for dinner with friends. Ordered Kona cafe to go back to their room where we had the most insane view for the FW. I don’t know if I will ever fight the crowds to see the show from inside the park. Did I mention the room was insane?! We were spoiled and indulged…
Fast forward to day three- thankfully I had a tentative idea of my impending doom and made reservations for brunch at chef Mickeys for noon thirty… barely made it but finally got out of bed and toughed it up- it might have been the most magical hangover in the world. I don’t eat bacon at home, but I definitely ate my share and it was just the cure… hehe… Friends wanted to explore, and so did I, but my mans wanted to relax by the pool, so I decided to be sweet and that’s when the trip truly pivoted. So. Relaxing. Amazing time at the quiet pool with the added bonus of an outdoor nap. Didn’t do a whole lot of anything but enjoyed the resort and the Disney air. Chatted with a couple who had way too much planned and we hopefully convinced them to slow down and enjoy the magic. Walked from the Poly w/ pals to GF for dinner at Citricos. One of our fav date nights so we had to share. Food was amazing. I’m a big fan of hamachi and the fish was incredible but that sauce had me puckering. You’ve been warned. Tilefish and risotto is definitely my recommendation. Martini was not dirty enough, but after being called James Bond I was bashful to send it back Took the monorail to extra hours… WOAH. We took advantage of them in Dec. but being in MK from 11-1 is a game changer. It was so empty. THIS is how MK and I fell in love again. I may have done a cartwheel or two. Rode 5 rides which feels insane, we didn’t rush at all. I hope these hours stay forever. Got home somehow… thanks Disney transportation. Not dealing with traffic and do do head drivers is half the vacation, am I right? Also the martinis…
Day 4 is also off to a slow start. Breakfast in bed… headed to AK to fulfill our APR to get into EP later to hang out with friends. It was pretty humid after the rain, thought we might try a safari ride but both looked at each other when we saw the line zigging and zagging that the big pool might be fun. We were correct. The hot tub was even better. This day was also sponsored by bubbles. Found some gorgeous ladies of a certain age living their best lives, also with bubbles!!, and we became fast friends until the rain determined my destiny which was a nap with the door wide open (no painters today). We walked over to EP w/ friends with the loose plans to eat and drink around the world. I am always cautious of this plan. Im happy to report we completed our lap and it was about an hour before the FW, outside of Canada, we somehow managed to find ourselves at an incredible table facing the taco barges. Continued eating and drinking, sending the men to attend to our cravings… and we found ourself having to defend our table. These people were ruthless. I found this incredibly amusing. Not everyone else did. I like personal space though so I was concerned at others’ lack of this preference. Amazing view that we apparently earned. An amazing ending to an amazing trip. Friends had an early flight so our night also had a nice peaceful conclusion including a stroll around the boardwalk with ice cream… I tried to reach the nirvana I witnessed earlier in the week and it was a full circle moment.
Here we are today… checkout day. Out of the room three minutes late. Impressed. Disney springs for lunch and to get the obliged swag/souvenirs. Driving home… we’ve flown but I honestly prefer driving, or being a passenger, to the chaos. You have transportation if necessary and my car is just more comfortable than a plane. We are currently a few hours from home. Our dogs miss us. I didn’t miss them that much, I’m joking. But I don’t miss vacuuming a small dog every other day. I digress… almost back home to sleep in my own preferred bed, but I will miss WDW as I debate when to book the next trip. I have my own reasons why I wanted so badly for this trip to be relaxing, and I hope this report inspires you to stop and smell the roses when you’re at the happiest place on earth… just being there is such a treat. The best plans are flexible plans. Take a break. Swim in the resort pools. Have your zen moment in with a Mickey bar or a book and a neck pillow. Thanks for following along 
