“Rise” to the Challenge, FREAK!! Done and new trip report started 5/2/21

[Tracy161]

nothing was ominous or sinister, except maybe HM, which is supposed to be.

Traveling to this place, never gets old to me!

I know! It really doesn't, does it? I'm really anxious about the changes post-pandemic, but if anyone will get it right, it will be Disney

Glad you recapped the trip, some things I'd forgotten about until you mentioned them again! Love that you've stayed at nearly all the resorts. It's my goal someday, too, but my list of resorts still to stay at is way longer than yours! I have, however, stayed at all the All Star resorts

 

[missangelalexis]

Great wrap up! As always, I enjoyed reading about your trip and what you and Andi got up to! And here's hoping you will be back at our happy place soon!!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Great wrap up to your trip!

It's a goal of mine to stay in all of the resorts also.

I loved all the pictures of you and Andi from the different seasons

 

[amazingact21]

Really enjoyed reading your recap and thought you did a wonderful job summarizing your January trip. I almost forgot about the loud family at OKW! Love the shirts you got on this trip.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Beautiful wrap-up, Caroline. I loved ALL of your TR. There was a lot of goods, bads and "huh?"s

Thank you Liesa! This was a wonderful long trip, more good than bad, thank goodness!

You're WAY ahead of me. I have loads still to go and will keep chipping away at it.

This is a mission of ours and we have stayed at so many now! I have favorites of course. YC and Poly are way up there

Definitely keeping my eye on this one. I really wonder if these ticketed events are going to return at all and when, if so.

I sure hope the dessert parties and after hours come back! I was a firm nonbeliever in these at first. I thought what a waste of more money, however I really think if you can add at least one on. Do it!

I think if I was to get another AP, I'd probably throw in some evening events and try them out.

I think you would be pleased

This is another thing I've never done and would probably consider now, except there won't be FPs anymore. At least not for a while anyway I think. Maybe a cash incentive? Not sure. Not going to buy for SURE, especially when we know what a Pandemic can do to your priveleges, but a tour would be fun.

The DVC tour was very interesting and the incentives for us were excellent.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Brilliant wrap up! I loved reading your report from beginning to end, through the bad to the good! You got some gorgeous shirts and it was very sweet of Andi to buy you the Star Wars mug
Fabulous photos of you both-love the Halloween costumes. I’m somewhat jealous that you have been in all seasons.
Looking forward to your next trip whenever you decide to take it.

Thank you so much for joining me on my Disney trip!
I do love the shirts I got, discreet enough to wear on Friday’s at work. My patients love my Disney attire!
I love looking at all our different pictures and all the different seasons we have been. It is really hard to pick a favorite! We love it all.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Enjoyed following along! Seems there were many highs and very few lows. We moved our March trip to September. Just got an email from Disney about the new reservation system. I'll probably wait to see how things go for others before deciding whether to move it back - again. The mask wearing is the biggest negative for me

Thank you so much for following along! Yes, the major low was the obnoxious neighbors otherwise really a god trip!
I am on the fence for our August trip, so many unknowns yet!
The mask wearing is a big negative for me, it is not something I want to do on vacation.
I hope your trip works out for you all!

 

[disneyAndi14]

What a wonderful trip wrap-up. I Love that after so many trips, you still enjoy traveling to WDW so much, and find new things to try! That's why DIS people are my favorites They never ask why you'd bother going again and again. There is ALWAYS something new (and old favorites to visit!)

Thanks Jackie! So glad you followed along! Disney has so many hidden treasures and we always find something new! I sure hope your canceled x3 trip works out for you! I’m a little on the fence about our August trip at this point. We shall see!

 

[disneyAndi14]

We didn't have those negatives. We stayed close to the main building, didn't notice the bus rides being overly long, didn't use the TV, didn't have storage issues, didn't notice paper thin walls.

It is so amazing how circumstances can be totally visit Athens the same resort. I think if we would have been in a room in the location I requested, this would have been different. Starting off with a location and dirty room put some negatives on it right away. The loud obnoxious family next door finished it off.

Good to know. May have to put that on the list.

The Destino tower was really wonderful. We will definitely stay again!

I've walked past it a few times... maybe should pop in.

We have had breakfast and lunch at The Wave and thumbs up for both! Worth a stop in.

You did better than I did. I got the FPs but not the $$$.

The gift card money was the biggest part of doing the tour for me!

And thanks for writing this TR!

Thank you so much for following along and always coming back with funny and interesting replies! I really appreciate it.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I know! It really doesn't, does it? I'm really anxious about the changes post-pandemic, but if anyone will get it right, it will be Disney

Glad you recapped the trip, some things I'd forgotten about until you mentioned them again! Love that you've stayed at nearly all the resorts. It's my goal someday, too, but my list of resorts still to stay at is way longer than yours! I have, however, stayed at all the All Star resorts

The new Disney is got me full of questions?? I’m not sure what to think I am undecided on keeping our August trip. Time will tell.
Andi and I decided several years ago to start staying at all the resorts and rating all of them. It is hard to choose just one, so many good things about all of them. Now that the AS resorts are getting remodeled they are more enticing!
Thanks again for following along, stay tuned for our up in the air plans!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Great wrap up! As always, I enjoyed reading about your trip and what you and Andi got up to! And here's hoping you will be back at our happy place soon!!

Thank you Alexis! I am always glad to visit with you in person and on these boards! I sure hope we can all visit Disney soon and we will have more answers!!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Great wrap up to your trip!

It's a goal of mine to stay in all of the resorts also.

I loved all the pictures of you and Andi from the different seasons

Thank you This was a really fun trip and I am so glad we had this one in 2020!
I love checking out all the resorts and rating them. I may do that in a post!
Looking back at all our pictures, so fun

 

[disneyAndi14]

Really enjoyed reading your recap and thought you did a wonderful job summarizing your January trip. I almost forgot about the loud family at OKW! Love the shirts you got on this trip.

Thank you so much for following along and commenting. I love visiting with you via the old internet!
Glad you could forget about the loud family! Haha
I have so many Disney shirts, I can wear some to work so that is a plus!
Stay tuned for some up in the air plans coming up soon!

 

[pkondz]

It is so amazing how circumstances can be totally visit Athens the same resort. I think if we would have been in a room in the location I requested, this would have been different. Starting off with a location and dirty room put some negatives on it right away. The loud obnoxious family next door finished it off.

I've had the "loud obnoxious family next door"... totally unpleasant. To the point where I almost asked for a room change.

The Destino tower was really wonderful. We will definitely stay again!

Okay!

We have had breakfast and lunch at The Wave and thumbs up for both! Worth a stop in.

I'll keep it in mind.

The gift card money was the biggest part of doing the tour for me!

Next time, I'll hold out for one.
"We'll give you three anytime FPs if you sign up."
Me: "Well... I dunno… FPs are great, but not sure if it's really worth my time..."
"How about a GC too?"
Me: "Done!"

Thank you so much for following along and always coming back with funny and interesting replies! I really appreciate it.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I've had the "loud obnoxious family next door"... totally unpleasant. To the point where I almost asked for a room change.

Very annoying! Stressed us out so much!

Next time, I'll hold out for one.
"We'll give you three anytime FPs if you sign up."
Me: "Well... I dunno… FPs are great, but not sure if it's really worth my time..."
"How about a GC too?"
Me: "Done!"

Yes definitely, good strategy

 

[suse66]

This was a one and done resort for us. I am glad we tried it and it is now checked off my list. I am getting closer to staying at all the resorts. Currently I have The All Stars, Wilderness Lodge and Saratoga Springs left to try. I think that is it. I haven’t stayed in the DVC portion of WL, Poly, GF and I haven’t stayed in the resort portion of BWI. I think that covers it.

Hopefully when you go back to WL next time, you will have a better experience! I have all the All Stars, all the moderates, Saratoga and OKW left to try!

Destino Tower (part of CSR) was our third stay. My positive thoughts include beautiful lobby, interior rooms, everything is still so new, comfortable beds, smart TV, awesome view, great shower, lots of storage, quiet, moderate price with a deluxe feel. The only negative was the buses, long waits at times, that is really it!

The Destino looks so beautiful!

The Topolino breakfast at The Riviera was new and we loved it! The Wave lunch was also a new dining experience this trip. We really enjoyed and would recommend. Via Napoli, Nomads, and Y&Y continue to be three of our favorite places and did not disappoint this trip.

Definitely have Topolino on my list for next summer. Sadly there is no travel to WDW this year for me but we are going to Hilton Head Island for March Break!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Hopefully when you go back to WL next time, you will have a better experience! I have all the All Stars, all the moderates, Saratoga and OKW left to try!

I really want to stay at WL, maybe next year! I missed FW in my resorts. We have never stayed there.

The Destino looks so beautiful!

It really is a nice option to have now!

Definitely have Topolino on my list for next summer. Sadly there is no travel to WDW this year for me but we are going to Hilton Head Island for March Break!

Hopefully travel will be fun and safe sooner than later! I am hopeful 2021 will be that year!

 

[Disneyhanna]

Hello Everyone!

I hope this finds everyone well and safe.

I would like to recap our trip. The good, the bad, and the mediocre. Cue the ominous music . Just kidding, nothing was ominous or sinister, except maybe HM, which is supposed to be.

OKW was our first resort stay of the trip. It was our first time staying here.

Positive thoughts beautiful grounds, comfortable beds, two queen beds (which is not the norm for DVC studio), boat transportation to DS, very good price (bought points from an owner here on the Dis) and it did not feel crowded at all.

Negative thoughts very spread out, long bus rides, ice machine very far from the room, small TV, minimal storage, air conditioners outside of the room, paper thin walls, long walks everywhere, dirty room (when we arrived), and the inability to get a different room when the obnoxious family moved in.

This was a one and done resort for us. I am glad we tried it and it is now checked off my list. I am getting closer to staying at all the resorts. Currently I have The All Stars, Wilderness Lodge and Saratoga Springs left to try. I think that is it. I haven’t stayed in the DVC portion of WL, Poly, GF and I haven’t stayed in the resort portion of BWI. I think that covers it.

CSR was our second resort we stayed at this trip. We stayed just 1 night in a standard room. My positive thoughts include comfortable beds, big smart TV, lots of storage, big counter top, quiet , close to a bus stop and main lobby. The only negative was a bunch of air conditioners (yes again) were close to the room. These were loud outside but thank goodness we didn’t hear the noise in the room.

Destino Tower (part of CSR) was our third stay. My positive thoughts include beautiful lobby, interior rooms, everything is still so new, comfortable beds, smart TV, awesome view, great shower, lots of storage, quiet, moderate price with a deluxe feel. The only negative was the buses, long waits at times, that is really it!

The ice machines were so close to the room at both of these places, yay We will definitely be staying in the tower again, maybe in November! (If we go then)

Hard ticket events review

The HEA dessert party, this was so worth the cost in my opinion.

I loved everything about it. The sitting during the fireworks show was worth every penny. I will definitely do this again in the future.

The DAH at MK was also so worth the cost. This was awesome and I loved everything about it. The cold weather was the only negative.

This event allows you too enjoy MK with very minimal crowds. We rode everything we wanted and enjoyed the “free” snacks. Popcorn, ice cream, and soda drinks are included. We also got to spend time with Dis friends, so fun!

Festival of Arts or FArts was a fun time as well. This is a newer festival in Epcot during later January and February. We enjoyed the food and exhibits. This maybe the only Festival at Disney this year and I am so glad we spent time there. I bought a small piece of art and love it. The mushroom risotto and Brie bowl were my favorite festival food

The Topolino breakfast at The Riviera was new and we loved it! The Wave lunch was also a new dining experience this trip. We really enjoyed and would recommend. Via Napoli, Nomads, and Y&Y continue to be three of our favorite places and did not disappoint this trip.

We really didn’t have anything that was bad. I would say House of Blues was the least memorable. There are so many places I want to try and hope we can one of these days!

Best new attraction, (only new attraction) was Rise of the Resistance. This was amazing and so immersive. I loved it!

The getting up super early was the only negative.

Doing a DVC tour was new this trip and worth it. We got to see the new Riviera rooms. We also got 4 FP each and $150.00 gift card.

The first few days and the last few days were less crowded. The crowds really picked up close to the MLK holiday. It was busy and crowded at times. The weather turned cold and lasted for 3 days and it was really cold for Florida. It was still better than Minnesota.

This was a very fun trip and once again traveling with Andi was awesome. I get tearful thinking about it and how so much has changed since this trip.

I am also very grateful to have spent time with some Dis friends! Jock Lindsey’s Hanger bar was new to me and I enjoyed the atmosphere and the company. Overall such a wonderful trip. I think this was my 24th or 25th trip to WDW and I loved it again as usual!

Traveling to this place, never gets old to me!

Once again, thank you everyone for joining in and stay tuned for updates on our possible August and November trips!

Here are the shirts I bought and my Star Wars refillable cup that Andi bought me.
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Disney pictures from the different seasons,
I miss it so much
Spring
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Summer
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Fall
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Halloween
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Christmas
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Coming up Disney took away my free dining and all my ADRS! Do I care?

I never get alerts, I am behind on this! You are almost done trying all the resorts, that is amazing! We stayed at OKW many years ago with some family friends who are DVC members, and all I remember were the thin walls and hearing a lot snoring from our friends . I would like to try the all stars some time with the new renovations, it seems like a good choice for a quick budget trip or for a trip at all if Disney stops offering room discounts to keep capacity low! Fingers crossed you can stay in the tower in November! If things aren't more back to normal by then, I don't know what to think! Things have been crazy for less than three months and November is five months away so hopefully!

I loved the HEA dessert party so much. I think we will have to try the seated version at some point, it sure would be nice to have somewhere to sit and eat while waiting around! I hate when it is cold in WDW. We go there to escape the cold! You had so many good eats this trip, I know I added a few places to my list.

Love all the Uniqlo shirts. I have started ordering online from there to get my Disney fix. You and Andi take such good pictures, you really are twins!

What a fun report, I really enjoyed following along!

 

[buzzrelly]

I loved the trip report, Caroline! And I knew before the wrap-up that OKW was going on your not-so-good list!

 

[Steppesister]

Thank you Liesa! This was a wonderful long trip, more good than bad, thank goodness!

Ours was the same. A few hiccups that all trips seem to have, but more good than bad. Always grateful for that.

This is a mission of ours and we have stayed at so many now! I have favorites of course. YC and Poly are way up there

THat's why I love to do the split stays... knocks twice as many off each trip.

I sure hope the dessert parties and after hours come back! I was a firm nonbeliever in these at first. I thought what a waste of more money, however I really think if you can add at least one on. Do it!

I just read about @chunkymonkey 's After Hours Party (yours too) and that one sure sounded amazing! The wait times were beyond amazing!!