Great resort pics! I really like the No Electronics Rule. It probably made your job a little easier. Sounds like a really large group. I would definitely be counting and recounting. That's a lot of responsibility! Luckily, they had you in charge.
On our last trip, any time I had to take out a card for a discount, I had to keep counting to make sure all my cards - room key, Visa, DVC card, passholder, etc. were in place.
As the relative of a family member with a food allergy, that was my first thought too. Glad to hear that was not the case.
Thanks! The kids knew going in that they wouldn't have their phones and I never heard a complaint. We did share our phones to let the kids call home... when we remembered to remind them!
I have many close friends with children who have allergies and I am very sensitive to the issues families have to deal with.
Dee - thanks for taking us on the tour! Wow, you are right, creepy creepy - jack-in-the-box? I have to say the gardens are pretty, never toured a value resort.
Love the Mickey waffles. Reminds me of years ago when BC and BW Bakery had large Mickey donuts. My kids loved them and then one year they just stopped serving them.
You are welcome! So I either have never seen Fantasia, or it has been a long while, but I think the Jack-in-the-box comes from that. I think Disney would have made a better choice putting a Dancing Hippo there.
MMMmmm Mickey Waffles. I actually ended up splitting it with Nate, one of the dads and his son. I think I had an ear and a smile.
What great resort pictures! I've always thought the value resort theming was so bright and colorful and that we might enjoy them. But, I can't get over the fact that there's just one big bus stop and they aren't covered. I know that's an odd thing to worry over but it's kept us from trying a value resort.
Thank you!!! The theming at Movies is definitely Disney, it was fun seeing all the giant icons. The bus stop situation, a cover would be nice as would a few more benches/seats.
I love the TR via text message technique!
Your family knows you so well.
Despite some bumps in the road (EMTs, plane delays, people who don't know MCO
), you guys have safely made it to Disney! What did you think of All-Star Movies?
That is a lot of tickets/vouchers to keep track of. I hate having to keep track of mine and Franklin's when we're there, I can't imagine multiplying that by seven.
ETA: Oops! I hadn't seen the walking tour of the resort before I posted...I'll post more after I finish those chapters.
Thanks for the tour of the resort. I love all the icons at the values, they are just so festive. You got some fabulous photos!
I also find myself envious of value food courts, you just don't get those kind of options at the Deluxes.
Can't wait to hear more.
A couple of the text message exchanges cracked me up!
We stayed at All Star Music back in 2008- I don't think the theming was quite as impressive at Music. The grounds at Movies were nice and even though we were in one of the back buildings, I didn't find the size overwhelming.
I don't think the four of us would be comfortable with the room size. I'll post the room pictures in the morning. It was fine for the two adults/room for this trip, and for the 4 teens (although I think in many rooms 2 used beds, 2 slept on the floor and then they switched the next night).
I really liked the colors in some of the early morning pictures- the downside, the reason I got those shots is because I was awake at 4:30 that morning.
Great pictures of the resort! I love the theming of the hotel especially for families with younger children.
Totally agree with your opinion of 2nd creepiest thing at Disney!
Great trip report writing!
Thanks so much! I'm glad you are enjoying the report and pictures.
Glad the girl was ok. Not a good way to start a school trip.
DS15 had a bottle of water in his backpack when going through security this year ( he should've known better-teenagers!!) I think it was in CT, security was really good about it though PHEW!!!
Nice tour of All Star Movies. We've never stayed at a value. It looks really nice. My BIL and family are staying there in August.
OMG That was a really LONG delay!!
I usually "forget" that I have a tube of Chapstick in my pockets or fanny pack when I go through security on the way home from someplace sunny. I didn't push my luck on this trip (but still managed to deal with security on the flight home)
My thoughts exactly! I think I have the patience, but I think the difference for me would be having to use it in one of my happiest places. I will say that unpleasant real-life circumstances have entered a few of my Disney trips, and they have yet to impair the magic!
I can only relate as a high school student on a WDW trip in the 80s! I went through significant TS withdrawal and had to stay off-site (gasp!) We had one free day at WDW and had to choose between Epcot and MK. As I'm an Epcot girl, the choice was clear. The challenge was rallying friends to join me. But I launched a successful Epcot campaign (it's new, there's nothing like it elsewhere, I will develop a plan for everyone, etc.) and we had a great day, despite my TS withdrawal!)
Dee, looking forward to your concluding thoughts regarding ASMovies. Did you know that I was booked there once when M was tiny and before we were an official Disney Family of Five? Wanted to save money and thought it would be fun for the boys. I chickened and switched to BC a few weeks before the trip. Everyone was happy with that decision. But I'm interested to know what you think of ASMovies in a pinch for a short budget stay (always thinking about my on-the-way-to-the-airport stops at WDW!) And how did Nate handle deluxe-to-value? Did he pay less attention because it was a school trip, or did the differences have an impact?
Love Ben's texts! Love the photo of the boys at the airport - nice work! I vote the jack-in-the-box THE creepiest thing at Disney, no question. (And the masks at POFQ in the food court are second, but they didn't really bother us when we were there.)
As a frequent chaperone of school trips (but nothing like this yet!) I'm wondering about the kids - by age 14, do they talk to you at all or do you just chat with fellow chaperones most of the time?
OK, is this a post or an essay test???
Too funny about EPCOT. Mark and I went to EPCOT as high school seniors in 1984. I think the two of us started there, while the rest of the class went to MK first. We loved it!!! Still do. Then we went to MK when everyone else was off someplace else and we visited Busch Gardens while our classmates got fried in the sun at Daytona Beach.
Nate was totally not impacted by staying value. His friends were there and that was all that counted. He is normally not interested in pool time, he is strictly a social swimmer, so he spent lots of time in the pool on this trip.
I was impressed by the food court. Lots of great selections. I had a decent turkey dinner one night, there was sliced beef, another chaperone had salmon one night and a chicken pot pie with puff pastry crust another and said it was very good.
Fantastic dessert options, but I kept sticking with the Mickey Bars. You can get a sundae anywhere, but
There's only one place you can properly enjoy those!!! And it was nice to have it without it dripping down my hand.
The lack of a large food court at the Beach Club does not bother me. With Sunshine Seasons, Tangierine Cafe, the French Boulangerie and many more places a quick walk away, I have never been wanting.
I wouldn't stay at one of the All Stars with all 4 of us.
I liked that photo of the boys at the airport. I had to blur out two of their faces.
I mostly chatted with the other chaperones, but some of the kids would talk to me for a little while. Not my son, of course, but some of the other boys.
But being covered would be nice.
So glad to have you here following along. 
