Our Funfilled Action Packed Trip to Disney over the Fourth of July. COMPLETE

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Hmm, I was just reviewing all my pictures on the computer here at work and they are not nearly as dark as they looked at home. I think I need to invest in a new computer monitor.

I also checked on the progress of my Photopass cd and UPS says it has arrived in Canada so I am hoping it gets here on Friday. I really need the cd so that I can post an update!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Am really enjoying your TP!!! My husband has not been with me for the last four trips to WDW. Work has prevented it. He is a director at the local college here. I finally got him to agree to go most likely next summer but he wants to stay at the Wilderness Lodge. My favorite has always been POFQ but after seeing your pictures....maybe I will go along with the switch!!!
Am looking forward to the next installment of your report!!!

Thanks for reading, glad that you are enjoying my report as I am really enjoying writing it! That is too bad that your DH has not been able to go with you but you should stay at the Lodge with him it is so beautiful and relaxing there! The grounds are beautiful and the the rooms are very comfortable. I slept so well on this trip. Usually I wake at least once a night but while at the WL I slept through the whole night without waking up.

I am loving your TR so far! You know, my very first view of Cinderella Castle was also the castle cake back in 1997, so my very first view of the "real" castle was May 2006! I hope to stay at the Wilderness Lodge someday soon. We were going to stay there in December, but I was outnumbered and now we're staying at the Contemporary. . .so now I have an excuse to go back!

Anxiously waiting for more - you're doing a wonderful job!

LOL, that castle cake was so awful. I'm glad that I have finally seen how the castle is suppossed to look! The Contemporary is nice and it is one of the original resorts but nothing comes close to the beauty and themeing of the Wilderness Lodge! That is just my humble opinion. My mom and I are already planning to stay there again on our next trip.

 

[ReneeDisney]

Great trip report! Can't wait to read more!

 

[aimee08]

nice trip report so far! I actually used to live in Virginia Beach too when I was little but now I live in Maryland and every summer we either go to Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens which I love both! I just got back from Busch Gardens and rode the new ride Griffon which is amazing!! It is REALLY a 90 degree drop straight down. But, Volcano is my fav roller coaster ever and is not for the faint hearted! lol

 

[blue_river]

I say it is our first real sight of it because when we first visited Disney World back in 1997 the castle looked like this

That's cool, thanks for sharing

I will post the picture once my photopass cd arrives which will hopefully be in a few days.

How many pictures are on your photopass cd? I think we only had 5 on ours so we didn't bother ordering it.

None of us were too impressed with this show. We couldn't really understand what they were saying most of the time and so we were not really able to enjoy the show.

Good to know, we missed that last time and thought about going this year but I guess we'll just skip it.

Unfortunately my camera batteries died and I had not thought to bring the extra set as I was not expecting to take many pictures that night.

Ugh. That's too bad

I've learned the hard way too and now I always keep an extra set in my camera bag.

Great reporting...keep it coming

 

[SnoopyDancer]

I'm enjoying your trip report! I lived in the Hampton Roads area too. I wish I had gone to the beach more often when I lived there. I can't wait to read more about the dream team and see the photopass pictures!

 

[Disneyolic]

Oops! I totally missed your last update but just read it today. We too were at the World in 1997 when the castle was a big birthday cake. We went at the end of October during my birthday so it was so appropriate.

You really like them Dole Whips? I'm in the minority, along with my DH, who do not like them.

Okay...looking forward to the next installment...

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Great trip report! Can't wait to read more!

Thanks for reading! I will probably post a small update tonight while at work as I expect my photopass cd to arrive tomorrow and then I will post a nice long update for you all!

nice trip report so far! I actually used to live in Virginia Beach too when I was little but now I live in Maryland and every summer we either go to Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens which I love both! I just got back from Busch Gardens and rode the new ride Griffon which is amazing!! It is REALLY a 90 degree drop straight down. But, Volcano is my fav roller coaster ever and is not for the faint hearted! lol

How cool! I loved living in Virginia Beach. We lived there for six years which meant that I got to do all of my high school years there at Cox. I really miss it. I loved being able to go to the beach whenever I felt like it without it having to be a big production. Busch Gardens is possibly my favourite amusement park aside from Disney. I have not been in a few years. I have heard about the Griffon and now I really want to go back down for a visit. Maybe I will drag Alek down for a weekend visit as he is a big Busch Gardens fan as well. We especially love Alpengeist!

That's cool, thanks for sharing



How many pictures are on your photopass cd? I think we only had 5 on ours so we didn't bother ordering it.



Good to know, we missed that last time and thought about going this year but I guess we'll just skip it.



Ugh. That's too bad

I've learned the hard way too and now I always keep an extra set in my camera bag.

Great reporting...keep it coming

Our photopass account had about 150 photos once I entered all our cards into the account but after I edited and added stuff into the pictures we ended up with 309. I probably went a bit overboard. I was always on the lookout for photopass and would drag my family over for a photo whenever I saw one. I think they all got annoyed with me after a while

I'm enjoying your trip report! I lived in the Hampton Roads area too. I wish I had gone to the beach more often when I lived there. I can't wait to read more about the dream team and see the photopass pictures!

I loved living in Va Beach and I really miss having a pool and being able to just pop down to the beach whenever I felt like it. I always seem to go down to visit every two years or so to see old friends and of course to lay around on the beach

The dream team will be coming up very soon and if I get my photopass tomorrow like I expect than you all will be flooded with my pictures.

Oops! I totally missed your last update but just read it today. We too were at the World in 1997 when the castle was a big birthday cake. We went at the end of October during my birthday so it was so appropriate.

You really like them Dole Whips? I'm in the minority, along with my DH, who do not like them.

Okay...looking forward to the next installment...

Since you were there for your bday it was appropriate. We were there for Christmas and we were disappointed with how the castle looked as a cake and especially because it was Christmas time. A big pink cake castle does not really spell out Yuletide Cheer

I was not sure if I would like the Dole Whips as I am not a huge pineapple fan but since so many people were raving about them I had to give it a shot and wound up loving them!

 

[Goofster57]

I am really enjoying your trip report.

From Canada are you so you must know Blue_river right…there aren’t that many of you up north are there?

We lugged all our bags upstairs to Rm 4161

I opened the doors to the balcony and here is the view I was greeted with:love

We had the same view last January we were in room 4159 I think.

The Wilderness Lodge rates as our number two resort right behind Boardwalk, but that may change we have a few more to stay at yet.

Unfortunately my camera batteries died and I had not thought to bring the extra set very

I've learned the hard way too and now I always keep an extra set in my camera bag.

Boy glad this never happens to me.....



Lessa,
Keep up the good work, really enjoying your report and can’t wait for some more pictures.

 

[tracyvansmith]

How many Photo pass cards can you put on your account and how much is the CD?

 

[Disneyolic]

How many Photo pass cards can you put on your account and how much is the CD?

I don't know how many cards you can put onto one account but I know multiple ones at least. The CD costs $129 plus s/h.

 

[tinawv]

Sounds like the beginnings of a great trip report. Can't wait to read more.

 

[Lovinlifesooomuch30]

Loving this trip report ! Love the pictures too. That view at the Wilderness Lodge must have made up for that bumpy landing Can't wait to hear more !!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I am really enjoying your trip report.

From Canada are you so you must know Blue_river right…there aren’t that many of you up north are there?



We had the same view last January we were in room 4159 I think.

The Wilderness Lodge rates as our number two resort right behind Boardwalk, but that may change we have a few more to stay at yet.






Boy glad this never happens to me.....



Lessa,
Keep up the good work, really enjoying your report and can’t wait for some more pictures.

Yeah, Blue and I are practically next door neighbours. Not to mention we are second cousins twice removed. There are so few people up here in Canada that we are all related someway

Actually Blue and I are only about 2 hours apart as she is in the Ottawa Valley which is just north of Kingston.

How many Photo pass cards can you put on your account and how much is the CD?

You can put as many cards as you want on the account. We had about 6 because of all the ones we collected at the water parks. The cd is about $130 I believe and it includes all your original pictures plus any that you have modified with borders and images.

Sounds like the beginnings of a great trip report. Can't wait to read more.

Thanks for reading! I'll have an update out tonight as I am working another midnight shift

Loving this trip report ! Love the pictures too. That view at the Wilderness Lodge must have made up for that bumpy landing Can't wait to hear more !!!

Thanks for reading! That view sure did make me feel a whole lot better after the flight!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

My photopass cd came today I wan't expecting it till tomorrow so that was a great suprise. I will have another update out tonight since I now have all my pictures together and I am working another midnight shift so I have lots of time on my hands

 

[Cory's Gal]

Enjoying your TR so far! The view from your room at WL is fantastic!! Thanks for sharing your pics too!! Looks like you all are having fun!

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Great trip report!!
I remember the castle like that. The one and only time I visited WDW was in Sept. 1996 they were just finishing up the cake castle. I also stayed at Wilderness then too! We are going back in Aug., but will be staying at POR this time.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Day Two Part One


We woke up bright and early today. I told everybody that I wanted to be at the MK for rope drop. Nobody had a problem getting up except for Erich and this would continue throughout the whole trip. Mom and I would get up first to shower and get ready as we took the longest to get ready, especially me as I can never decided what to wear. Then we would wake Alek and then Erich. Erich would never get up though. We would have to poke him every 5 minutes and yell at him to get up until he would finally drag himself out of bed 20 minutes after orginally being woken up. While waiting for everybody to get ready I took some early morning shots from the balcony including one of the geyser going off.

The park opened at 9am today and we arrived at the gates around 8:30 and waited outside the train station with the rest of the early risers for the opening ceremony.

We watched the opening ceremony which was really cute and then we headed into the park. I wanted to head straight for Space Mountain but Erich insisted on stopping to get his picture with Goofy

After snapping a quick picture we were off to Space Mountain. Mom and Erich opted not to ride this so they found a bench and Alek and I headed in. It was posted as a 10 minute wait but we were able to walk right on. I loved Space Mountain. It was so much fun zooming around in the dark. Alek and I noted that the seats on Space seemed to be rather small and we wondered how people larger than us could fit in the ride as we found it rather cosy. Perhaps they will install larger ride vehicles when the ride gets updated.

Once we exited Space mom had to go to the bathroom and while she was gone we spotted this little guy so we hopped in line to get our picture taken.

Mom rejoined us and showed us the water mister that she had bought and we decided to head over to Buzz Lightyear. As we were heading through the queue I saw the guests ahead of us being handed something and I started to get excited as I saw that it was a member of the Dream Squad ahead. We reached the CM who handed us each our very own Dream lanyards with the Year of a Million Dreams pins. I was so excited as this was our first real day in the parks and we had won a dream! It was a small dream but I was just happy to have won something as I was not expecting to at all.

We hoped on Buzz, I rode with mom and Alek and Erich rode together. This ride was a lot of fun and was Erich's favourite ride of the trip and he would ride it many more times throughout the week. Here is my pathetic score from our first ride through Buzz.

My score improved throughout the trip but I never really got a super high score. Alek and Erich did though but they rode it way more than I did and have much better aim.

Next Alek and Erich demanded to ride Stitch. I really didn't want to as I had heard so many bad things but seeing as this was their vacation too I relented and we went into Stitch. I did not enjoy it at all but Alek and Erich did not seem to mind it. They poked fun at me and told me to make sure that all my Dis friends knew that Stitch was a great ride.

They saw that Laugh Floor was about to start a show so we went there next. This show was hilarious. I guess it probably varies each time you see it as it all depends on the audience but we had a blast here and thought it was great. I don't know if I would have liked being put in the spotlight though

After Laugh Floor we were pretty much done with Tomorrowland for the day so we made our way over to Fantasyland and ran into these guys.

The mad hatter was hilarious. He joked around with mom and told us that she laughed funny and then she couldn't figure out how to work the camera so he ran up and showed her how. Then as we were getting ready to pose for the picture Alek yelled "Change places!" and we all ran around and switched spots except for Alice who just seemed confused about what had just happened. She must not be as familiar with the movie as the mad hatter was.

After the picture we rode the tea cups as there was no wait. We all squeezed into a tea cup and it was a pretty tight fit let me tell ya!
Alek and Erich started spinning us like crazy and I snapped this photo.

Mom and I did not feel so good after that and it was just after 11 so we decided to take a little break and grab some lunch before the lunch rush hit. We went over to Pinocchio's Village Haus which was deserted. We ordered our lunch and grabbed a table right next to the window that overlooks Small World. This was a great location as we got to wave at the people as they floated by into the ride. The highlight of this meal for me was the cannoli. It is to die for! Everybody must try this dessert, you will not regret it!


Day Two Part Two

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Enjoying your TR so far! The view from your room at WL is fantastic!! Thanks for sharing your pics too!! Looks like you all are having fun!

We had a blast. I was amazed by the view I got at the Lodge. I loved just sitting out on the balcony and relaxing. It was wonderful.

Great trip report!!
I remember the castle like that. The one and only time I visited WDW was in Sept. 1996 they were just finishing up the cake castle. I also stayed at Wilderness then too! We are going back in Aug., but will be staying at POR this time.

Thanks! It seems as though a lot of us experienced the cake as our first view of the castle. Glad to see that you are getting to go back this summer. I hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[Disneyolic]

Sounds like lots of fun so far. I really like the way you "switched places" with Alice & the Madhatter. That's funny.

Glad you PhotoPass came in and looking forward to the pics and more reporting...