Missing Home, a Walk Family PTR! Updated 8/13!

Hey there!
Love your dates! A lot.... :rolleyes1
Just sayin...
14 days! 2 full fun WEEKS IN DISNEY! COME ON!
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Really looking forward to your planning!

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Smokies Low Down

Okay, so I thought I would also dive into plans for this fall's non-Disney vacation... I know it's not Disney, so if you're not interested in reading about it, feel free to skip over this update!

So, our original hopes for 2015 were to do Vegas in Feb, Disneyland in spring, and this trip in the fall. Sadly, DLR did not happen. It was a total bummer to miss it, but we had both our vehicles go into the shop within a month, and a couple other small things that just made DLR too much of a stretch. We did go to Vegas in Feb, and I would have honestly given that trip up in a heartbeat to do anything Disney related, but at the time we thought we could do all 3... anyway, so that's just a bit of background on why we ended up with no Disney this year!

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A little Vegas collage from our trip! :bitelip:

I know what you're thinking.. why don't I trade the Smokies for some Disney time? Well yeah, I would, but this is a family trip with Chris' mom and that group (from our first WDW trip!) so I don't want to do that.... and this trip is very cheap!

So here's the details...

We leave for Gatlinburg, TN on Friday, November 6th. We plan to leave around 6pm, when the guys of the trip get off work and drive through the night. (they swear this will be best...we shall see) Then we will stay in a cabin we are renting from Saturday-the following Friday in Gatlinburg. When we leave the cabin on the following Friday, we will make the 3-4 hour drive to Nashville and stay there two nights, exploring, until we come home on Sunday!

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I made a powepoint with all the trip details, so I will share these slides piece by piece as I go through each days plans!

As I mentioned, joining our foursome this trip is Chris' mom, Margo, and stepdad, Bob and sister, Laci... aka, our original WDW crew!

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Maddie was so tiny! Even Olivia still has a bit of a baby face!! Oh how time flies...

So, where are we staying??? You can view our cabin on HomeAway here! Basically, it's awesome! There are 3 king bed, master suites, each with their own attached bathrooms. Also each of the bedrooms is on its own floor of the cabin! So the girls will share a room with their Aunt Laci in the bottom/game room floor master suite, Chris' parents will take the main floor suite, and Chris and I are taking the upper floor suite, aka the one with the best view!! :hyper:

Some awesome things about our cabin... in the community it's in it is the second highest elevated cabin! Also, it has it's own hot tub on the deck overlooking the mountains, and then as I mentioned, there is an awesome game room area for the kids!

Some of our plans this trip include:

- Relaxing at the cabin
- Hiking in the Smoky Mountain National Park and Cades Cove
- Visiting Pigeon Forge
- Dollywood & The Dixie Stampede Dinner Show
- The Island (in Pigeon Forge)
- Zip Lining
- Alpine Slides
- Exploring Nashville

I will dive more into those things when I outline our trip days more, but another cool thing is that the town of Gatlinburg will be completely done up for Christmas by the time we travel!! So I am excited to be in the Holiday spirit!

If anyone has been and has any tips or suggestions for me, please feel free to chime in!



 
No suggestions... But TN is gorgeous! Josh and I did a day in the Smokies in March of 2014... Beautiful!

Liddy (not sure if you know her?) lives very near Gatlinburg... Oopsi is a few hours away... And Ariana is a few hours the other direction. Just a friendly Dismeet fyi. ;)

Still so sad we didn't get to do our dismeet... But I am certain that one day we will. :hug:

D~
 


No suggestions... But TN is gorgeous! Josh and I did a day in the Smokies in March of 2014... Beautiful!

Liddy (not sure if you know her?) lives very near Gatlinburg... Oopsi is a few hours away... And Ariana is a few hours the other direction. Just a friendly Dismeet fyi. ;)

Still so sad we didn't get to do our dismeet... But I am certain that one day we will. :hug:

D~

Oh that's awesome! Everyone who has been tells me it is gorgeous! I can't wait, and how great would a Dis-meet be!?!? I love squeezing in Disney anytime I can... :goodvibes
 
I'm excited to hear about your smoky mountain plans! Always on the lookout for future vacation ideas--you know, since DH likes to remind me that there are other places to see besides Disney....(whatever....)
 


Being from the West Coast, I would love to see the Smoky Mountains. It all looks so pretty. It is hard not to do a Disney trip. I asked the kids last night, when they thought we should start planning our 2016 Disney vacation. I am thinking we will do Disneyland in 2016 and then do WDW in 2017. I hate to not go to WDW for 2 years in a row, but Marissa isn't even sure she will be able to go to Disney with us next year. Maybe if she is in Japan for her study abroad, I had better plan a Disney Vacay for there. Wishes. Too much is up in the air. So nice to be able to take the kids when they are young, before they are all grown up and having obligations.
 
Smoky Mountains are so beautiful! That cabin you are staying at looks AMAZING!! I want to live there. :)
 
Joining in!

2 weeks at Disney! Sigh...that's a dream! I think the most we'll be able to do is 8 days with vacation time and school. You're going to have so much time. Great plans so far!

It sounds like a great vacation this fall! We've never been to the Great Smoky Mountains. It looks beautiful! We have been to Nashville several years ago and really enjoyed the Grand Ole Opry and downtown!

Excited to read about your plans!
 
The Smoky Mountains are wonderful! We live about 5 hours away so we have been quite a few times. The dixie stampede is so much fun and so is Dollywood; just remember to keep expectations low, after all it is no Disney. I've found myself being un impressed at other theme parks because I have been spoiled.
 
:confused3
I am here. I have to go back and start reading.

Hope you had a great 4th of July.
Yay! Glad you made it over!!

It was ok, hubby always has to work when the town does fireworks and events, so the kids and I went somewhere to watch a show, but nothing amazing...

I'm excited to hear about your smoky mountain plans! Always on the lookout for future vacation ideas--you know, since DH likes to remind me that there are other places to see besides Disney....(whatever....)

Bahahahahahaha... Gosh... People just don't understand! I keep telling them I knowwwwwww there are other places to see, and I'm totally open to that- Disney Paris, Tokyo Disney, Disney cruise...:rotfl2:

Seriously though, I am excited for Gatlinburg. Lots to do and so easy on the wallet!! That cabin, were splitting the cost in half, and our part is less than $650 for the week! :eek: Gas is less than $300 and then all the sites and things are affordable...maybe the Tabors and the Walks need to visit here again in the next ear or two of all goes well!!!! :hyper:

Being from the West Coast, I would love to see the Smoky Mountains. It all looks so pretty. It is hard not to do a Disney trip. I asked the kids last night, when they thought we should start planning our 2016 Disney vacation. I am thinking we will do Disneyland in 2016 and then do WDW in 2017. I hate to not go to WDW for 2 years in a row, but Marissa isn't even sure she will be able to go to Disney with us next year. Maybe if she is in Japan for her study abroad, I had better plan a Disney Vacay for there. Wishes. Too much is up in the air. So nice to be able to take the kids when they are young, before they are all grown up and having obligations.

it does look beautiful, I can't wait to see it myself! I don't think I've ever been to any mountains that I can remember...

What did the kids say in planning 2016???!!

And OMG!! That would be insanely amazing to visit Tokyo Disney!! You should definitely try to do that if she's studying abroad there!!!!!!! When else would you have such a good reason to go??

Smoky Mountains are so beautiful! That cabin you are staying at looks AMAZING!! I want to live there. :)

I know! It was extremely hard picking a cabin, they're all gorgeous, but I loved the location of this one and the rooms all being on their own floors!

Joining in!

2 weeks at Disney! Sigh...that's a dream! I think the most we'll be able to do is 8 days with vacation time and school. You're going to have so much time. Great plans so far!

It sounds like a great vacation this fall! We've never been to the Great Smoky Mountains. It looks beautiful! We have been to Nashville several years ago and really enjoyed the Grand Ole Opry and downtown!

Excited to read about your plans!

I know I am so lucky with schedules, the hubby is more needed around holidays so is actually easier for us to Tavel in non-peak times, and obviously with homeschooling I don't have to worry about that schedule, so nice!

Though we are in a homeschool community I'm now directing, and most likely I will have to miss the first two weeks of next year for this trip, but, ya know, priorities :rotfl:

I've heard Nashville is beautiful and fun to explore! I can't wait to see it! My hubby wants to go to the Antique Archaelogy store (American Pickers) lol and some record stores and stuff... I would like to see the country music hall of fame.. We'll see how much our one full day there allows! Oh and the replica Parthenon looks cool too!

The Smoky Mountains are wonderful! We live about 5 hours away so we have been quite a few times. The dixie stampede is so much fun and so is Dollywood; just remember to keep expectations low, after all it is no Disney. I've found myself being un impressed at other theme parks because I have been spoiled.

Oh, I am so glad to hear that about the Stampede dinner, as it's quite pricey!! And expectations are pretty low for Dollywood! We've been watching some videos on it and such and I do think I will enjoy it though, I am a Dolly fan, so I want to check out the exhibits about her life, and then the Christmas stuff will be in full swing and they have Rudolph and the characters from that movie! So that's kinda neat. We won't get very long there though, they're only open a couple days during our trip and only one that works with our schedule, and even then it's only open from 2-9pm!!:confused3
 
So, I completely stalked your last pre-trip report, happened to run into you at DHS during your trip, and look forward to your trip report updates! So glad to have a new PTR to read! I think planning is almost as much fun as the trip. Looking forward to a February 2016 trip myself.

I live in Nashville and visit the Smokies almost every fall, so I'll offer a couple of my favorites. There is a wonderful Arts and Crafts Loop where you can find great pottery, jewelry, and other crafts made by local artisans-I highly recommend it. Also, there's a restaurant in Pigeon Forge called BullFish where we have dinner at least once on every trip-their prime rib and pastas are amazing! Lastly, when in Nashville, I highly recommend spending some time checking out the Christmas decorations at Gaylord Opryland Hotel-they should be up by the time you visit.
 
So, I completely stalked your last pre-trip report, happened to run into you at DHS during your trip, and look forward to your trip report updates! So glad to have a new PTR to read! I think planning is almost as much fun as the trip. Looking forward to a February 2016 trip myself.

I live in Nashville and visit the Smokies almost every fall, so I'll offer a couple of my favorites. There is a wonderful Arts and Crafts Loop where you can find great pottery, jewelry, and other crafts made by local artisans-I highly recommend it. Also, there's a restaurant in Pigeon Forge called BullFish where we have dinner at least once on every trip-their prime rib and pastas are amazing! Lastly, when in Nashville, I highly recommend spending some time checking out the Christmas decorations at Gaylord Opryland Hotel-they should be up by the time you visit.

Tiffany!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :welcome:

:jumping1::jumping1:

I am so glad you commented!!!!! How funny, on my TR I am about to hit my HS day when I run into you!!!! I actually have the photo I took with you and your son, and I was going to post it with the caption "If this is YOU please comment!" LOL!!! :rotfl:

I am so glad I found you!! :hug:

Okay, sorry, I got so excited when I saw your comment... :rotfl2:

Anyway, I can't believe you live in Nashville! Yay!! I love your suggestions, those are all going on my list RIGHT NOW! We are actually considering staying at the Gaylord when we go to Nashville, at least for one night, I saw the prices weren't too bad, not like I was thinking.

Arts & Crafts loop, um YES! This is completely up mine and my MIL's alley!! This goes on the FOR SURE list! The restaurant sounds great too, I am writing these all down!!! YAY!

Thanks for commenting and for the suggestions!!You should be making an appearance in one of the next one or two updates!!!!!!! :banana:
 
that cabin.... AH-MAZ-BALLS!
Are you kidding me?!?!? I cannot wait to read how you loved this.. This might just have to be a mini vacation for us!
a hot tub looking out to the mountains?!?!? seriously?! color me jealous.
 
that cabin.... AH-MAZ-BALLS!
Are you kidding me?!?!? I cannot wait to read how you loved this.. This might just have to be a mini vacation for us!
a hot tub looking out to the mountains?!?!? seriously?! color me jealous.

Maybe we need a dis meet in the mountains?!?! :ssst:
 
I love the Smokies and Pidgeon Fordge! We used to go every summer as a kid. You guys will have a blast.

14 days of Disney sounds crazy awesome.
I can't wait to read along and see what outfits you plan. :joker:
 
Okay, so I couldn't wait until tomorrow to join in the fun here! Your cabin in the Smokies looks wonderful! Sounds like lots of fun planned, and didn't Tiffany give you some great ideas! We went to the Smokies many years ago on a meandering journey to Williamsburg. We stayed in a cabin, but nothing like the one you'll be in. It is absolutely gorgeous in that area.

As for your Disney trip...girl, 14 days????? Wowser! That is fantastic and worth waiting 400+ days to experience. The most we've ever done is 9 days. I love the must do choices for ADRs. Honestly, the Garden Grill had so much character interaction we hardly had time to eat. The girls will love it! The service at Coral Reef was so bad the last couple of times we went, we have taken it off our to do list. The food was good, though, and it's so cool to watch the fishes swimming by. 50s PT is one of our favorites as well. Love the pot roast!! We used to do Tuskar House, but have been trying to branch out and try new places. We enjoyed it a lot, though. One we will ALWAYS try to book every trip is Be Our Guest! I just love that place!

I'll be anxious to watch your trip plans unfold...and change over the next year. We could have met if your trip was this year...some day.
 

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