Rocky Mountain Highs (a non-Disney Trip Report) - COMPLETE 2/17

[afwdwfan]

Wyoming, actually. But yeah, that winter is no joke. Just amazing work.

Geography fail. I knew it but I guess I had Tetons on my mind.

Yellowstone is a pretty unforgettable place. Combine that with Grand Teton (snicker) and it's totally worth the trip.

You want something to snicker about that's kind of related? DS brought home a paper from school yesterday. They had to write out a Christmas list. He's in Kindergarten so he can't spell many words at all so they were supposed to write them out the way they sound. I'm reading his list and I see Robot, caw (cow), tete bar...

What???

After further explanation, that is how a 5 year old spells teddy bear. I was rolling and couldn't tell him why. I also couldn't wait until DW got home so I could tell him to show her his list.

 

[afwdwfan]

Well guys and gals, the moment is upon us. Julie and I leave for WDW tomorrow! With no kids! They are still very, very happy with us and are completely understanding of the fact that sometimes mommy and daddy need to escape, take a break, and have fun on their own. And we feel very guilty about leaving them behind.

And if you believe any of that, I have some DVC points I'd like to sell you. I'll talk to you guys on Tuesday!

I hope you and Julie have an awesome time escaping to the World!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Geography fail. I knew it but I guess I had Tetons on my mind.

Well, who can blame you for that? And don't worry, I failed to include Alaska in the continental US.

You want something to snicker about that's kind of related? DS brought home a paper from school yesterday. They had to write out a Christmas list. He's in Kindergarten so he can't spell many words at all so they were supposed to write them out the way they sound. I'm reading his list and I see Robot, caw (cow), tete bar...

What???

After further explanation, that is how a 5 year old spells teddy bear. I was rolling and couldn't tell him why. I also couldn't wait until DW got home so I could tell him to show her his list.

Parenting. You're doing it right. Just where are you planning to stop on this road trip, anyway?

I hope you and Julie have an awesome time escaping to the World!

Thanks Andy! And we do too!

 

[Flossbolna]

Well guys and gals, the moment is upon us. Julie and I leave for WDW tomorrow! With no kids! They are still very, very happy with us and are completely understanding of the fact that sometimes mommy and daddy need to escape, take a break, and have fun on their own. And we feel very guilty about leaving them behind.

And if you believe any of that, I have some DVC points I'd like to sell you. I'll talk to you guys on Tuesday!

Have an amazing trip!!! You so earned that time away! I hope it will all be magical and filled with pixie dust!!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Have an amazing trip!!! You so earned that time away! I hope it will all be magical and filled with pixie dust!!

Thank you, Magdalene!

 

[pkondz]

Well guys and gals, the moment is upon us. Julie and I leave for WDW tomorrow! With no kids! They are still very, very happy with us and are completely understanding of the fact that sometimes mommy and daddy need to escape, take a break, and have fun on their own. And we feel very guilty about leaving them behind.

And if you believe any of that, I have some DVC points I'd like to sell you. I'll talk to you guys on Tuesday!

Hope you see this before you go... Have a great trip!

 

[Steppesister]

YAY!!! for a break! I know you're going to have a really great time. Rest, recharge, rejuvenate and all that good stuff. Please bring back funny stories for all of us, k?

 

[Dugette]

Wow, that lodge looks pretty amazing! I think you have me sold on staying there someday, even with the shared bathrooms. Some of those photos inside remind me of the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood that we visited last year. Really impressive, yet cozy and comfortable. Looking forward to seeing more Yellowstone! I have been there, but not since childhood (I think we stayed in West Yellowstone), so I remember Old Faithful, but not a lot of other details.

Hope you are having a wonderful couples trip right now!

 

[franandaj]

And since so many of the main attractions require a good-sized drive to reach them, it’s even better if you can stay somewhere inside of the park in order to minimize travel time.

Smart!

Most of them provide generic lodging with bare-bones amenities, with the primary benefit being location. Some of the lodges offer nicer rooms and more modern amenities, but of course you’ll pay a premium for that.

I was expecting prices around the level of the Suite and Jr Suites. For that price, I would pay for a private bathroom. But I'm glad they have lodging in everyone's price range.

The Old Faithful Inn was the primary inspiration for Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Disney drew from other National Park lodges, of course, but it was very easy to see where many of the ideas came from as we toured this building.

I can see that!

If that’s going to be a problem for you, please schedule an appointment with my assistant and I will give you a full refund on this Trip Report.

Well, maybe I will see about that!

The lobby:

Very cool!

See the writing desks tucked away to the side on the second floor?

Writing desks? Oh wait! You mean a place to plug in your computer and access the WiFi!

There’s also a balcony to afford guests a view of Old Faithful when it erupts.

Nice! Do they have drink service too?

Side stairway:

Creative use of leftover bits and pieces!

I thought it looked like something out of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Like the robes, how much did they charge your credit card when those weren't in the room when you left?

We all had a blast exploring the building. It felt like there were little hidden alcoves all over the place, giving the same sensation we love about Disney: that feeling of adventure, that something else was just around the corner, ready to be discovered.

I can imagine! I want to plan a road trip there now!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hey there! I finally got caught up here! Loved all your pics as usual. Sorry you struck out a little on the wildlife front. I'm so excited to see you are getting the opportunity to stay at the lodge! We stayed at a smaller version at Oregon Caves National Monument several years ago. Our room was kind of a mix of old and "we TRIED to fix it up in 1965" It looks like they did it better at Jelly stone for sure. On the plus side there was a Bigfoot sighting while we were there

 

[Poolrat]

Well guys and gals, the moment is upon us. Julie and I leave for WDW tomorrow! With no kids! They are still very, very happy with us and are completely understanding of the fact that sometimes mommy and daddy need to escape, take a break, and have fun on their own. And we feel very guilty about leaving them behind.

And if you believe any of that, I have some DVC points I'd like to sell you. I'll talk to you guys on Tuesday!

Looks like you are having a wonderful memorable time. Looking forward to hearing all about it.

 

[jedijill]

Playing catch up again! Love your Teton photos....That would be amazing to tour in the vintage cars but being stuck behind them, I get it. So you are saying you don't recommend Super 8?

Yellowstone is my favorite place on earth. My grandfather worked in Yellowstone as part of the CC Corp back during the Depression and helped shovel snow off the roof of the Old Faithful Inn to keep the roof from collapsing.

I'm trying to convince my parents to schedule a trip in their camper in the next couple of years so I can tag along.

Have fun in WDW sans kids!

Jill in CO

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Hi everyone!

I'm back and hoping to get caught up around here soon. We had a great, if brief and exhausting, time. We pretty much burned the candle at both ends because, let's face it, that's how you do Disney. Overall, we loved the meals and restaurants we tried, loved the tour, enjoyed seeing the Christmas decorations and celebrations, and spent lots of money on souvenirs to try and buy our way back into our kids' hearts. On the downside, we weren't sure if seeing the decorations was worth dealing with the increased crowds, especially on weekends. And the new FP+ system took some getting used to, as someone who had only dealt with paper FP's up to this point.

This visit made us really excited to take Drew for the first time! I have no idea when that will be, of course.

 

[franandaj]

Welcome Home! It was great seeing you both, even if only briefly! I know what you mean about burning the candle at both ends! This was supposed to be a relaxing trip for us and I find us power napping at every chance we get!

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

 

[pkondz]

Hi everyone!

I'm back and hoping to get caught up around here soon. We had a great, if brief and exhausting, time. We pretty much burned the candle at both ends because, let's face it, that's how you do Disney. Overall, we loved the meals and restaurants we tried, loved the tour, enjoyed seeing the Christmas decorations and celebrations, and spent lots of money on souvenirs to try and buy our way back into our kids' hearts. On the downside, we weren't sure if seeing the decorations was worth dealing with the increased crowds, especially on weekends. And the new FP+ system took some getting used to, as someone who had only dealt with paper FP's up to this point.

This visit made us really excited to take Drew for the first time! I have no idea when that will be, of course.

Welcome back! Followed along (vicariously) on FB.
Much enjoyed the "last sight of the night" journey.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

YAY!!! for a break! I know you're going to have a really great time. Rest, recharge, rejuvenate and all that good stuff. Please bring back funny stories for all of us, k?

Well, I can't say there was a whole lot resting and re-charging going on. We burned the candle at both ends, because you know, that's how you do Disney. So we were pretty tired. But it was a good tired.

Wow, that lodge looks pretty amazing! I think you have me sold on staying there someday, even with the shared bathrooms. Some of those photos inside remind me of the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood that we visited last year. Really impressive, yet cozy and comfortable. Looking forward to seeing more Yellowstone! I have been there, but not since childhood (I think we stayed in West Yellowstone), so I remember Old Faithful, but not a lot of other details.

You'll see a lot more of Yellowstone, don't worry! Such an amazing place.

Hope you are having a wonderful couples trip right now!

Thanks! We had a great time!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I was expecting prices around the level of the Suite and Jr Suites. For that price, I would pay for a private bathroom. But I'm glad they have lodging in everyone's price range.

The only downside with the private bathrooms is that you stay in the "newer" wings of the hotel which don't have nearly the same atmosphere as the historic section.

I can see that!

Well, maybe I will see about that!

Just fill out these forms in triplicate.

Writing desks? Oh wait! You mean a place to plug in your computer and access the WiFi!

Um...WiFi? Yeah, about that...

Nice! Do they have drink service too?

There is a bar just inside the doors in the lobby. I didn't see any wait staff on the balcony.

Creative use of leftover bits and pieces!

It was so cool!

Like the robes, how much did they charge your credit card when those weren't in the room when you left?

We couldn't afford them after paying for the phantom pillow!

I can imagine! I want to plan a road trip there now!

So do I! Amazing place.

Hey there! I finally got caught up here! Loved all your pics as usual. Sorry you struck out a little on the wildlife front. I'm so excited to see you are getting the opportunity to stay at the lodge! We stayed at a smaller version at Oregon Caves National Monument several years ago. Our room was kind of a mix of old and "we TRIED to fix it up in 1965" It looks like they did it better at Jelly stone for sure. On the plus side there was a Bigfoot sighting while we were there

Yeah, you have to hope the historic places take the time to refurbish occasionally. The line between "historic" and "just plain old" is a thin one.

Bigfoot? Pictures or it didn't happen!

Looks like you are having a wonderful memorable time. Looking forward to hearing all about it.

So are you saying you want a TR?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Playing catch up again! Love your Teton photos....That would be amazing to tour in the vintage cars but being stuck behind them, I get it. So you are saying you don't recommend Super 8?

Yeah, I'm gonna have to say no on that one.

Yellowstone is my favorite place on earth. My grandfather worked in Yellowstone as part of the CC Corp back during the Depression and helped shovel snow off the roof of the Old Faithful Inn to keep the roof from collapsing.

I remember you mentioning that when we met. I can certainly see why it's your favorite place on earth. It's definitely a top 5 for me.

I'm trying to convince my parents to schedule a trip in their camper in the next couple of years so I can tag along.

Forget the camper, head for the Old Faithful Inn!

Have fun in WDW sans kids!

We did! It went by too fast.

Welcome Home! It was great seeing you both, even if only briefly! I know what you mean about burning the candle at both ends! This was supposed to be a relaxing trip for us and I find us power napping at every chance we get!

There's just too much to see and do to sit in the room! Go go go!

Anyway, it was great to see you again as well, and to finally meet Fran!

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

So is that another vote for a TR?

Welcome back! Followed along (vicariously) on FB.
Much enjoyed the "last sight of the night" journey.

Thanks! When I'm traveling, I like to share about it, but I'm also trying to be conscious of not spamming people. So I figure one photo a day, give or take, is good enough. Then we post an album later for the 3% of friends who actually would be interested.

 

[justafigment27]

I am enjoying your Yellowstone pictures! We stayed at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and ate dinner at the Inn. I had every intention of taking a scheduled tour of the Inn, but never quite got around to it ... so much to see in that park. I would love to go back one day.

If you haven't, be sure to see The Good Dinosaur with your kids! I had no idea that it was set in Yellowstone until I was watching the movie and thought, "Hey, that looks like the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone ..."! It was pretty neat!

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

So are you saying you want a TR?

Well.....