Our Disney Vacation! {An Honest Disney Review}
SURPRISE, nosotros went to Disney World in conclusion week!
It was a trip nosotros had been planning for over a twelvemonth in addition to I cannot believe it's over. It was an amazing calendar week in addition to I am thence incredibly thankful nosotros were able to part this magical fourth dimension alongside our kids. It was pure joy seeing them acquire "arms flailing, giggly excited" over a fun ride or grapheme meeting. I volition ever cherish our Disney moments in addition to they volition live memories that I'll retrieve forever :)
As a way for me to retrieve our opor-garai in addition to hopefully assist someone else who is planning a trip I am recapping our week. If you're hither for DIY in addition to decorating tips don't worry, I'll live dorsum to posting most DIY equally presently equally I recover from opor-garai mode, I promise!
We didn't tell our kids until most 3 weeks before our trip. I had large plans of surprising them that ended upwards non going equally I had imagined. Maybe I shouldn't stimulate got watched all those videos of kids crying alongside excitement after finding out they were going to Disney.
I bought each of our kids their ain piddling mass handbag in addition to filled them alongside a ton of Disney gear in addition to plane ride entertainment. Each youngster had a laid of Mickey ears, an autograph book, novel Disney t-shirt in addition to every in addition to anything Disney related. I set everything inward their mass bags in addition to placed them inward a box that I wrapped inward Disney paper. I attached a Disney locomote tag in addition to was sure they would acquire all the clues.
I called inward the kids in addition to said that at that topographic point were boxes left past times the door. Owen was eager to give away the gifts spell Paige was real hesitant. (I after learned that she thought they were belated birthday gift's for Owen in addition to fifty-fifty after beingness told 1 was for her she was afraid to opened upwards her box.) They eventually started ripping opened upwards the boxes in addition to I for certain thought they would pick upwards on all the clues. I was wrong, thence wrong. Owen was to a greater extent than excited most his novel toothbrush in addition to mitt sanitizer than anything else. As much equally they stimulate got been wanting to become to Disney in addition to equally much equally nosotros stimulate got been talking most Disney I for certain thought they would acquire it correct away. We finally had to tell them nosotros were going to Disney in addition to they both but variety of looked blankly at us. Paige eventually got it in addition to showed a piddling excitement spell Owen started crying, maxim he was scared to wing in addition to didn't desire to go. Total fail!
WHY WE CHOSE SEPTEMBER AND TO TAKE OUR KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL.
About v years agone nosotros took our kids to Disney, our boy was 1 in addition to our immature adult woman was three. We went the halt of August into early on September in addition to it was the perfect time. The crowds were manageable since local schools were already dorsum inward session in addition to the conditions was a chip milder. I knew this fourth dimension unopen to I wanted to become inward September, but didn't desire to delineate my kids out of schoolhouse correct away. My boy was starting kindergarten in addition to I wanted him to stimulate got a few weeks to accommodate to his novel schedule. Most people may non opt to stimulate got their kids out of school, but if you lot stimulate got ever been to Disney inward the summertime you lot volition concord that the crowds are unbearable, the estrus is intense in addition to lines are insane. I've alone been to Disney 1 time inward the summertime in addition to you lot could non pay me to become back, peculiarly alongside kids.
WHERE WE STAYED
This was past times far the hardest determination to make. It took me most 3 weeks to finalize our hotel reservation in addition to it was non an slow task. Can you lot tell I am a VERY indecisive person? When nosotros showtime went to Disney nosotros stayed at the Contemporary for the connivence of the monorail. Overall, it was incredibly convenient for quick trips dorsum for afternoon naps, but felt the resort was dated in addition to non worth the additional cost.
This fourth dimension unopen to I priced everything from value resorts to deluxe resorts. The cost ranged from $115 a black at a value resort (Pop Century) to over $550 a black at a deluxe resort (Contemporary). It was a HUGE cost difference in addition to I went dorsum in addition to forth many times regarding how much I wanted to pass in addition to the pros in addition to cons of each option. I knew nosotros wouldn't live headed dorsum to Disney anytime soon, thence I could justify staying at a nicer resort. What I couldn't justify was paying thousands of dollars to a greater extent than to remain on the monorail. In the end, I settled on Wilderness Lodge, a deluxe resort located but a brusque v infinitesimal boat ride from Magic Kingdom.
This was the showtime fourth dimension nosotros stayed at Wilderness Lodge in addition to it did non disappoint. The staff was friendly, the rooms were updated in addition to build clean in addition to the nutrient in addition to restaurants were great. The resort has a large puddle alongside H2O slide, an awesome kids H2O play surface area in addition to beach access. The grounds were gorgeous in addition to I enjoyed walking unopen to in addition to taking inward all the beautiful scenery.
Our kids LOVED spending fourth dimension inward the puddle in addition to couldn't acquire plenty of the H2O slide. Both the puddle in addition to H2O playground provided a nifty identify for them to permit out some energy. Owen fifty-fifty learned to swim spell nosotros were at that topographic point in addition to was able to become downwards the H2O slide in addition to swim to the other halt of the puddle without swimmies!
(Our 3rd flooring balcony view)
We ate 1 dinner in addition to breakfast at Whispering Canyon, which is a sit down downwards Western eating seat total of fun antics located at Wilderness Lodge. The kids loved having to acquire upwards in addition to stand upwards on a chair to yell "we demand ketchup!" Everyone who had ketchup in addition to then had to lead it to our table. I think nosotros ended upwards alongside 12 bottles of ketchup!
RESORT DRAWBACKS
I felt the Roaring Fork quick service eating seat was small-scale in addition to could sometimes live crowded. I can't fifty-fifty imagine how hectic it would stimulate got been during the busy summertime months. The nutrient portions were real large in addition to nosotros were able to separate many meals, but the java was horrible.
FREE MEAL PLAN
Another major argue why nosotros chose to locomote inward September is that Disney unremarkably offers complimentary dining repast packages at select resorts during September in addition to October. There are a few repast plans to select from in addition to nosotros opted for the basic dining package, which included 1 tabular array service, 1 quick service, 1 snack in addition to a refillable mug. In my opinion, this is the best pick since it offers you lot the mightiness to brand reservations at nicer restaurants spell giving you lot the flexibility of non having your entire twenty-four threescore minutes menstruum scheduled. If you lot stimulate got ever been to Disney you lot know that scheduling your see WAY inward advance is a must. You tin brand dining reservations equally far equally 180 days inward advance in addition to I highly advise you lot stimulate got payoff of early on booking.
WHERE WE ATE
In lodge to stimulate got payoff of our repast conception in addition to throttle fourth dimension spent inward line waiting to see characters I made equally many grapheme repast reservations equally possible. The alone downwards side of grapheme dining is that the bulk of restaurants are buffet style. They desire to acquire people inward in addition to out equally fast equally possible, which sometimes way rushed meals in addition to non thence nifty food. At to the lowest degree the kids were happy!
Crystal Palace alongside Pooh in addition to friends
(Magic Kingdom)
Tusker House
(Animal Kingdom)
Hollywood & Vine
(Hollywood Studios)
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
(Epcot)
CHARACTER MEETINGS
We were able to run across most of the princesses in addition to other characters at repast times, which saved us from spending valuable fourth dimension waiting inward long lines. We did hold off for Merida from Brave in addition to Owen was over the Luna for her.
She thought he was the cutest affair in addition to fifty-fifty gave him a osculation of the cheek. We waited inward lines for a few other characters, but they ever ended upwards taking breaks in addition to the hold off times ended upwards beingness crazy long. You are able to acquire fast passes for grapheme meetings thence if your kids are truly looking forrard to coming together someone special I advise getting a fast pass.
RIDE WAIT TIMES
(Toy Story Mania)
September-October is 1 of the best times to see Disney. Not alone practice they offering complimentary dining, but hold off times are minimal compared to the dead of summer. Standing inward line for an threescore minutes inward 100 flat conditions but doesn't brand for an ideal vacation. Thankfully, most of our hold off times were less than fifteen minutes in addition to some rides were fifty-fifty much less. We used fast passes for the truly pop rides (Soaring inward Epcot, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train inward Magic Kingdom, Toy Story Mania inward Hollywood Studios, Frozen Sing Along Celebration inward Hollywood Studios, Expedition Everest inward Animal Kingdom, Kali River Rapids inward Animal Kingdom, in addition to many more). There were a few rides that nosotros would stimulate got liked to acquire on, but the hold off times were ridiculous. I'm talking upwards of an threescore minutes in addition to inward my view NO ride is worth waiting over an threescore minutes for.
I was thence proud of Paige for braving the Tower of Terror in addition to Expedition Everest!
NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY
When nosotros decided to become to Disney inward September I knew I wanted to pay the additional fee for tickets to Disney's Not So Scary Halloween Party. I had seen highlights of the political party in addition to my immature adult woman ever expressed involvement whenever nosotros watched Disney specials. We went on a thursday, which I thought would live less crowded in addition to I WAS WRONG!
(I brought a costume for Owen, but he didn't desire to clothes up!)
Let me showtime tell that I am non someone who handles crowds easily. I acquire overwhelmed in addition to abhor beingness squished betwixt people who are pushing in addition to running you lot over. With that beingness said, inward my view the $68 per mortal cost tag for this political party is NOT worth the cost. The political party starts at 7:00, but you lot tin go inward the commons equally early on equally 4:00. We arrived unopen to 5:00 in addition to the crowds were minimal in addition to nosotros were able to acquire on a few rides alongside real piddling hold off times. At 7:00 shape members began handing out candy in addition to fifty-fifty though the lines were long they moved rather quickly.
Disney does mitt out process bags, but they are fairly small. If you lot conception on leaving the commons alongside a haul of candy I advise you lot lead your ain bags. I truly bought a few Halloween bags (purchased for $1.00 a slice at Walmart), which worked out nifty for our kids.
The major work I had alongside the political party was after the Sun went down. It became VERY crowded in addition to was difficult to view in addition to acquire your bearings equally to where you lot were. It was difficult to maneuver through crowds in addition to people were pushy. We went to the before parade in addition to had to honor a identify to stand upwards most a one-half threescore minutes before the parade started. After the showtime parade nosotros striking a few to a greater extent than trick-or-treat locations before getting frustrated in addition to calling it a day. We didn't fifty-fifty endeavor in addition to remain for the shows in addition to fireworks.
I don't regret the party, but I certainly won't live attention again, peculiarly since it cost our identify unit of measurement an additional $300 to attend.
STROLLER RENTAL
My kids are seven in addition to v in addition to renting a stroller was hands downwards the best coin spent. To avoid dealing alongside a stroller inward the aerodrome I opted to rent a large double stroller from Magic Stroller. It was most $115 for seven days in addition to they were amazing to bargain with. They deliver the stroller to your resort on the twenty-four threescore minutes menstruum of arrival in addition to pick it upwards from the resort on your deviation day.
(Paige at Hollywood Studios)
(Owen excited at the Stunt Show)
HOW WE SAVED MONEY
- We brought a lot of our ain snacks.
- Since our repast conception was complimentary (you stimulate got to pay gratuity) nosotros spent minimal coin on food.
- We used our complimentary mugs (provided alongside the repast plan) to fill upwards up drinks at our hotel, which nosotros in addition to then took to the topic parks. This helped us from spending crazy amounts of coin on nutrient in addition to drinks.
- I bought Disney low-cal upwards toys, glow sticks in addition to Disney related items at Target instead of at the parks.
- We brought our ain ponchos (purchased at Walmart) instead of buying the expensive Disney ones.
- We rented a stroller from a individual fellowship instead of renting the ones at the park. A double stroller at the parks are $30 a twenty-four threescore minutes menstruum in addition to they are NOT comfortable or supply places to shop drinks.
- We used CASH! Instead of but scanning our magic band for what nosotros did purchase nosotros used cash. This helped us expire along rails of what nosotros were spending in addition to non pass frivolously.
- We used our repast conception in addition to snacks sparingly. In lodge to stretch our nutrient in addition to throttle what nosotros spent nosotros planned our meals in addition to fifty-fifty separate meals. We ended upwards having xi snacks leftover on the in conclusion twenty-four threescore minutes menstruum in addition to you lot tin bet I used every 1 of them. The kids loved the chocolate muffins thence I brought a few dwelling occupation solid equally good equally snacks for the plane ride.
The trip notwithstanding ended upwards costing us a lot of money, but it was worth every penny. The kids had an amazing fourth dimension in addition to nosotros created memories that volition in conclusion a lifetime.
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