Ape Family Vacation WDW Jan 2018

[Ape]

Many thanks everyone.

 

So if my understanding is correct you guys are telling me i am getting old

oo well bring it on

[masportster]

Sorry, happens to the best of us!! To quote Dirty Harry, "a man's got to know his limitations"!

[Ape]

I'll just ride until I puke each time lol

[djcoastermark]

Ape, just wanted to say something about what I saw in your pics. The first pic at the Studios, I saw a family all rarin' to go. I loved the last pic of your family where I could see one very tired, but very happy family. Looks like you all had a great day. Thanks for sharing your memories, very nice. This is why I love coming to TPR, to see the happy memories. ( and it makes me want to go there again)

[Ape]

Thank you! As much as we all loved Magic Kingdom I think Hollywood Studios ended up being our favorite day it was pretty amazing. The comparison between the two is pretty cool now that you point it out. I tracked our steps and during the 3 park days we did 30 miles and this was the end of it.

[Ape]

Wow I never thought I would have something that hit over 2000 views. It makes me feel like my time put into this is appreciated.

 

I thought I would add a little bit to our last day checking out and leaving the resort for anyone that might be new to it and stumbles across this thread before a trip.

 

I am sure other resorts within Disney are this awesome but I cannot speak on it as I haven't been. Art of Animation really made things easy for us. Really the only thing that only slightly sucked (and this isn't on Disney in any way) is that I had to have our stroller we rented from Kingdom Strollers turned in by 6am, but out Magical express departure wasn't until 7:25 so I had to get up early trek all the way across the huge resort then come back to the room to finish packing.

 

We took our time heading the the Magical Express and to check in to our flight check out of the resort. We let the kids kind of explore and look at what they wanted for one last bit of making memories. I had made that walk probably 30 times during our trip but this was the first one we slowed down to take everything in. It was a bitter sweet feeling. The kids loved every bit of the theming in each area, next time we really need to take a day and stay at the resort and enjoy the pools.

 

One of my favorite services was being able to check in to out flight at the resort that morning, it made everything super easy. The airline check in is located in the main building but on the outer wall facing the nemo pool. I will always take the chance when offered to avoid moving my bags more than I have to while wrangling two kids. It took us all of a few minutes to get checked in. I also enjoyed that when checking out of the resort I had no wait. It seems the time We decided to leave was a good one for not dealing with crowds.

 

The night before we left was we we got our information on when our Magical Express ride would be. They deliver it right to your room with instructions. We arrived 15 minutes early like it recommended. Magical Express ended up being 30 minutes behind but it didn't both me and we were the only ones at our stop to get on.

 

The whole ride to the airport and flight home I couldn't help but thinking about how happy I was to have made this trip happen. Kids do grow way too damn fast and being able to do something like that with them just makes my heart so happy. My daughter asks me every day to look at the pictures I have on my phone from the trip and my son talks about the trip every day still a month later. We went from a week of 65-70 degree high days to 28 and showing when we arrived. Drove two hours through the snow to get back to Cincinnati and officially ended our trip. I still have a bit of post trip depression.

[TBpony414]

Finally had some time to finish your TR and read the last installment. Making Disney happen despite the extraordinary costs is truly a magical experience! My parents took my brother and I when we were younger (I was actually 4) and I still remember many parts of the trip. I didn't go again for another decade but even then I really had a great time, again. My neighbors used to go every year over xmas and it ended up losing some of the magic for them, so making it a very infrequent vacation is the way to go IMO. We did not take many pictures back then so your kids will be able to more easily remember everything with all the pics and videos, plus your TR! That's really special. Thanks for taking the time to write up this long report and sharing it with all of us.

[Ape]

Thank you for the kind words. This report is as much for myself as it is for everyone else to read. I sometimes like to go back a couple years later and read reports I have done lol.

 

When Tron opens we will be back.

[Ape]

So we had such a good trip the wife tells me she was to go back before our next scheduled trip in 2021. So I think we are going to aim for late fall of 2019. We have only gone in January both times. Any suggestions or tips specific weeks to go special events anything? This time we will make sure we hit Epcot and if we have to cut a park it will be Animal Kingdom

[Ape]

We picked our time there. First week of December 2019.

 

Any tips or suggestions welcomed. we may stay a bit longer this time.

 

Also do any of the resorts do anything special as far as decorating for christmas?

[Ape]

Officially booked in a Finding Nemo suite December 1-7 2019. Hitting all four parks and Mickeys Very Merry Christmas.

 

I am very exited. Looking forward to hopefully watching some TPR Facebook live videos this season to build on the excitement. I wonder if there is enough Disney videos on YouTube to keep my entertained for 478 days