Stuck on locating server screen (in creative)

I started having this bug where when i try to join my friends server , we have been working on for a couple of months, it gets stuck on locating server, my character is visible to my friend and it says i am in the world however i am stuck on the locating server screen, I should also mention i can join previous copy's of the world but we have made so much progress since then we cannot go back (We are in creative) the world is (67.2 mb) we have tried Everything and i mean everything,

1. both of us uninstalling and reinstalling
2. checked for updates
3. restarted router
4. killing my character (we cant because i am in creative) and yes we have used potions it doesn't work
5. setting me in survival
6. /killing me
7. moving me with water, nudging, TNT, warden, fishing rod, piston. everything you can think of
8.  making copies
9. unloading the chunks
10. removing the border blocks
11. changing DNS servers
12. read numerous reports
13. I have watched every video known to man and i cant find anything

 

we really need help