1 crazy family+2 resorts+5 parks+1 snake+1 surprise=A Mickeystoontown report 4/3x2

[mtpelepele]

I'm sorry you didn't like French Quarter. I haven't stayed there yet. Port Orleans Riverside, though, is one of my favorite resorts. It's beautiful, the food court is fantastic, the restaurant is great, and it's the most easy-going, peaceful feeling resort I've been to. You did get to hit one of my favorite things, though, the boat ride to Downtown Disney.
I'll agree with you on the shade at Art of Animation. The theming is just plain fun, but the trees need a couple of years to grow.

 

[ukool]

Love the AOA pics, my nephew would love the cars area.

 

[cdhale]

Joining in! Love all the pics and can't wait to see more!

 

[MagicShell]

AoA looks really cute but it sounds hectic. I love the Lion King, there is no way I could keep my 10 year old son from trying to climb on that playground.

I think I like the one bus stop better myself. I really love the value resorts, I've stayed in all but AoA. Like you said, to each his own.

 

[francis6306]

As for the bus stops, yes they might not be fully covered, but I love the fact that you get into the specific line of where you want to go, instead of having a mob of people waiting for different buses all at the same time. Plus, in my experience since there are more people staying at value resorts that use the bus, buses run more often and you don't (usually) wait as long.

I just wanted to pipe in and say, I agree with you!! Every time we go to a deluxe resort for a meal and try to use the buses, I get frustrated!! The Values are built for crowds, thus handles them better, IMO!

 

[ronnmel]

I just wanted to pipe in and say, I agree with you!! Every time we go to a deluxe resort for a meal and try to use the buses, I get frustrated!! The Values are built for crowds, thus handles them better, IMO!

Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks that.

 

[pigletto]

Loving the trip report so far!! We're staying one night at AoA before our package starts at CBR this August.
Last August we went to check it out. I could not agree with you more. It is Africa hot at that resort. It's just wide open and sunny with no shade to be found. In fact, it was so bad on that day in August that we checked out a bit of the Nemo section and said "Forget it" and got back on a bus. It was that bad.
The plan for our one night stay this summer is to spend the day in the pool and do all of our poking around the resort in the evening once it cools down!

 

[Hisgirl]

Well now, this has just been the most enjoyable read! And I reaaaally appreciate you posting all those pics of the A of A. I think it captures the very essence of Disney and that the 'magic' would start as soon as you checked in!

I'm following along especially to see how Mama holds up. My mom is about to be 83 and I want to take both my parents to Epcot. I know we would have to use the electric carts but I really want to do this.

Hang in there Mama! Looking forward to the rest of the story!

 

[Koh1977]

Definitely glad I didn't decide to switch to an AoA suite this trip....August with no shade?? Yikes!!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[jenseib]

I love the AoA pictures. When you get a chance can you post them to the AoA picture thread?
I am another one who prefers the bus stops at the Values too. I don't like that everyone mobs to the bus when it comes. It just doesn't seem fair to me at all. I like the lines at Values and the specific lines for each park. I will admit there does seem to be quite a bit more people in line at the Value as opposed to the mods and deluxes when I have been there. (well I don't think I have ever caught a bus from a mod yet.) The covered stops at AoA are nice though.

 

[Marsheliz]

OOOOhh, we love Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge too. It is only about a 4 hour drive for us. We took our children the weekend before Christmas this past year and we have stayed at Governor's crossing and at Comfort Inn- Apple Valley, Enjoyed both of them and they were decently priced.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Loved the photo tour of AoA! Until we booked and cancelled a stay at AoA, I never realized how much the landscaping of the mods really means to me. I love the all of the green garden space at the mods. While AoA looks amazing and cute, I just don't know if I'm ready to stay there.

That's what we all said. I love the landscaping that the mods have. Not to say that there wasn't any at AoA. It was just different.

Thanks for posting all the pix of AoA; it doesn't look like anywhere we would want to stay. I can also understand how Mamaw felt; I'm not much for the heat either and that is why we like going in November or December.

I can't wait to hear what hit John!!!...........

The AoA was a neat loooking resort but, unless we need a suite, it's not for us.

John's "hit" is coming soon!

AOA looks cool. My DD9 is really wanting to try it out. How did you think the walk from the main building to the Little Mermaid section was? Also, I was just on the AOA thread and someone was giving a recap of their stay and mentioned the food court seemed dirty to them too.

Had Mama not been with us, the walk to the LM rooms would have been much quicker. She has to walk pretty slow so it took us a while. Even still, it did seem a pretty long walk but not any along that a walk from the furthest CBR rooms.

The food court was dirty looking. I've read two or three different posters' opinions and they've mentioned it too.

Loved the AOA pictures.

Thank you!

 

[mickeystoontown]

2 hours?!? Wow. We thought about parking in Pigeon Forge and riding the trolley to Gatlinburg this past week. Boy, am I glad we decided against it. I would have gone with a cab ride too.

I hope your kids can come home for Christmas. But if you still go over Thanksgiving, I think any of the hotels on River Road would be worth it if they didn't have a three night minimum. But I would figure over Thanksgiving, most hotels will have that requirement.

Be glad....very glad...that you didn't take the trolley. It took us forever and a day to get to Gatlinburg and it wasn't just because of the traffic. If you ever do take the trolley, make sure that you allow ample time and do research before you hop on.

We usually stay at Twin Mountain Inn at the next to the last last in Pigeon Forge. It's nice and clean and in a good location. But, we want something different if we go back.

Hey Lisa,

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites the last time we were in Gatlinburg. If you are coming out of Gatlinburg into Pigeon Forge it's almost at the foot of the mountain. It's really nice and clean. It's also right beside of a putt putt course. I think it's called Davy Crockett mini golf. Course, putt-putt and December might night be a good combination It is a good hike though up into Gatlinburg..... Be sure to really look online at your options and read reviews. Alot of the hotels on the main road are older and a little neglected!

I think I know that the Fairfield because I remember Davy Crockett mini golf. If Mama goes with us, we'll need something close to town but if it's just us, we don't mind the walk.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Nice pics of Art of Animation. We hope to do a walk-through over there when we are at WDW in September.

Can't wait to read more......

I'm really glad that we went over to check it out. It's a cute resort!

Hi Lisa! Got a little behind, so had some catching up to do! Can't wait to see what "hit" John!!!!

Hey girl! I "met" your Mama a day or two ago.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I'm sorry you didn't like French Quarter. I haven't stayed there yet. Port Orleans Riverside, though, is one of my favorite resorts. It's beautiful, the food court is fantastic, the restaurant is great, and it's the most easy-going, peaceful feeling resort I've been to. You did get to hit one of my favorite things, though, the boat ride to Downtown Disney.
I'll agree with you on the shade at Art of Animation. The theming is just plain fun, but the trees need a couple of years to grow.

Man, I'm so wishing that we had kept that POR reservation instead of changing to FQ. Maybe we would have enjoyed ourselves more.

There definitely wasn't enough shade at AoA.

Love the AOA pics, my nephew would love the cars area.

It has been a while since I've seen the Cars movies but the theming was very well done in that section (as well as the others)

Joining in! Love all the pics and can't wait to see more!

Welcome! Welcome!

 

[mickeystoontown]

AoA looks really cute but it sounds hectic. I love the Lion King, there is no way I could keep my 10 year old son from trying to climb on that playground.

I think I like the one bus stop better myself. I really love the value resorts, I've stayed in all but AoA. Like you said, to each his own.

It wasn't any more hectic, I guess, than the other food courts but it seemed louder because of it's size.

I don't know why they built a playground that isn't really a playground.

It's odd that my family prefers the multiple bus stop option over the single line bus stops.

I just wanted to pipe in and say, I agree with you!! Every time we go to a deluxe resort for a meal and try to use the buses, I get frustrated!! The Values are built for crowds, thus handles them better, IMO!

The deluxe bus systems suck! We've tried them at several places and they seem to go all over the world before actually getting to the destination.

Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks that.

We are weird! What can I say?

 

[mickeystoontown]

Loving the trip report so far!! We're staying one night at AoA before our package starts at CBR this August.
Last August we went to check it out. I could not agree with you more. It is Africa hot at that resort. It's just wide open and sunny with no shade to be found. In fact, it was so bad on that day in August that we checked out a bit of the Nemo section and said "Forget it" and got back on a bus. It was that bad.
The plan for our one night stay this summer is to spend the day in the pool and do all of our poking around the resort in the evening once it cools down!

It definitely was Africa hot that day and there was not enough shade in my opinion. Even the shade Ursula provided wasn't enough.

I think that it's good that you are going to give the AoA a try before popping over to CBR. Like you with the FQ, you won't know until you try it.

Well now, this has just been the most enjoyable read! And I reaaaally appreciate you posting all those pics of the A of A. I think it captures the very essence of Disney and that the 'magic' would start as soon as you checked in!

I'm following along especially to see how Mama holds up. My mom is about to be 83 and I want to take both my parents to Epcot. I know we would have to use the electric carts but I really want to do this.

Hang in there Mama! Looking forward to the rest of the story!

Thank you!

Mama did pretty well overall. She did stay at the resort several days while we were in the parks and then joined us at night. I wish that she had agreed to use a scooter as I think she would have been more comfortable.

Definitely glad I didn't decide to switch to an AoA suite this trip....August with no shade?? Yikes!!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I can only imagine how hot it would have been in August.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I love the AoA pictures. When you get a chance can you post them to the AoA picture thread?
I am another one who prefers the bus stops at the Values too. I don't like that everyone mobs to the bus when it comes. It just doesn't seem fair to me at all. I like the lines at Values and the specific lines for each park. I will admit there does seem to be quite a bit more people in line at the Value as opposed to the mods and deluxes when I have been there. (well I don't think I have ever caught a bus from a mod yet.) The covered stops at AoA are nice though.

I sure can.

I guess that we've always been lucky at the CBR bus stops. Seems as if everybody has always been respectful of who was there first, who gets on first, etc. Nobody has ever just jumped up and run in front of others to board the buses.

OOOOhh, we love Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge too. It is only about a 4 hour drive for us. We took our children the weekend before Christmas this past year and we have stayed at Governor's crossing and at Comfort Inn- Apple Valley, Enjoyed both of them and they were decently priced.

You luck girl...just 4 hours to Gatlingburg/Pigeon Forge! I'll look into those two hotels. Thanks!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I had hoped to get an installment posted yesterday but all the sudden the bottom fell out and it was crazy busy! I was just looking at my pictures on Photobucket and it looks like I'm missing some. Thank goodness, I still have my memory cards in my purse so I can search for them and upload them to Photobucket. I'll start doing that on my lunch hour.

John didn't want us to get him anything for Father's Day since we're going to buy a new truck for him soon. But, I couldn't let Father's Day go by and not do something. Hunter and I worked on a "project" Saturday night and this was what we ended up with:

In case you can't read it:

Dad, We were going to give you a Whopper of a gift. A whole 100 Grand for Father's Day. But the gold from the Gold Mine slipped right through our Butterfingers. We didn't have an Extra whatchamacallit to sell and it wasn't our Payday. We didn't think that a pet Kit Kat, a trip to New York, or an Orbit around the Milky Way would be your kind of thing. We wish you Mounds of Almond Joy as you eat this card. We hope that it doesn't make you Rolo ver and get sick. If it does, we promise not to Snicker while you Take 5. Happy Father's Day from your favorite Goobers and Airheads and Hot Dog. XOXO Hunter, Lacey, Jesse, Lisa and Oddball

 

[GrammyJudy]

I love John's fathers day card...you are so creative!