2017 APRIL 29 - MAY 8TH

[jimitrout]

Disney World Trip Report...

Mom, Dad, Lizzy 8 Logan 6
Origin: Sioux City Iowa Staying :ART OF ANIMATION

First time (figured it would be our only time so did a lot of planning to make it special).
Had such a special time, I am currently trying to plan another trip late 2018. But that is another story.

3:45 up and took a shower. Left Sioux City at 4:50am, arrived at Epley at 5:45 for 8:30 departure.

Southwest airlines (able to use Chase Visa Rapid Rewards so almost no cost flight for the four of us).
Kids first flight but everything with great. Logan was 6 so he and I family loaded after A. Bought Early Bird for Wife and Lizzy. Arrived in Orlando on time.

Once we figured where to go. Took the Magical Express to Art of Animation.

Art of Animation was awesome. Loved the themes. We stayed in a little Mermaid Room.
Our room was 8641. Not what I had hoped for but close to parking. (in hindsight because we rented a car this was close to parking and worked out better).
We sat and had pizza after we arrived (better than I expected).
Kids went swimming while I went and picked up rental car. Disney Car Care center very close and easy to shuttle to. Had a hell of time getting back, construction all over, my phone was about dead, but it had enough to get me back. Thank God for google maps.

Met up with some Iowa friends that were here at the same time. Kids had played and swam and had fun. Watched Lilo and Stitch at outdoor theater. Bed at 10-10:30pm.

Deep thoughts on our first day....
everything on first day went as well as it could. Room ended up being pretty convienient. Close to parking, so a short stint to load. Second floor was ok. So FAR so good!

 

[jimitrout]

day two: (half of the day, anyway)

Sunday April 30. Magic Kingdom.
Wake up call 5:45. Shari & kids up at 6:30am. Left for Magic Kingdom in car at 7:15. Parking was a super smooth. HOOK 376. Rode monorail from TTA to the kingdom.
Had reservations at Be Our Guest at 8am.
Sat down at Be Our Guest at 8:05. Kids are not morning people, hard to get them to eat. Lizzy ate French toast and fruit and forced French toast down Logan. Sharis donut was very rich but good. Dad’s ala cart was ok. Left restaurant at 8:40 or so.

-Rode 7 dwarfs mine train twice no line. Park was not even open yet. awesome!!!!

MY FAVORITE PIC!!! the expressions on my kid's faces says it all....


then onto under the sea. Lizzy jumped the gun and got in cart while Logan & Shari sat. So dad had to ride by himself..sad face.

-Enchanted Tales with Belle (9 – 10 FP), Lizzy was picked to be beast, so she got to dance with Belle, very exciting. Logan was playing shy and did not want anything to do with it.

-Peter Pan (10-11 FP). Kids loved the idea of floating in the boat. Ran across the way to do small world.

-Small World…10min wait.

-Dumbo..30min wait…We didn’t know wait time when we went in, I saw a small line so I waited outside. 15 minutes later , I remembered there was a playground inside, so I tried to walk in only to get stuck in line and after not seeing them I worked my way back and out. Then saw them in line on the other side.

(11-12 FP) 7 Dwarfs…AGAIN!!! (3rd time)

Met up with some friends. Took some pics. Our schedules did not sync up well, so we all rode the railroad to the main gate. We were gonna go relax for a while.

They continued on... we got off at Main entrance and happen to run into Stitch as we were walking out. First in line, very exciting and fun. First set of autographs.

Then we went Walmart, had to run a toll cause we had no change and back to the hotel.
Shari and kids went swimming.
I went to room and tried to figure out southwest flight info on my phone as opposed to my desktop at home. I had everything all ready for trip there but forgot to print stuff for return trip.

deep thoughts - Love 8oclock reservations when park opens at 9...always have change for tolls...

 

[jimitrout]

Day Two (continued):
Some Disney Memory maker Magic.

Rode the Bus to MK this time about 5:00. Dropped us off at the kingdom. Was really straight forward and easy.


-ate at Cosmic Rays (food was fine). Sonny Eclipse was entertaining.

-met Merida from Brave. another really good character meet.


-did the Barnstormer (this was an added FP using the disney phone app)

-Mickey’s Philharmonic…walked right in.

-Tomorrowland Speedway (another added FP)

-Logan bought a stuffed stitch with money from grandma Sharon.

-Ate messy ice cream bars.

Took bus back to AoA. Bus stop was 34. Farthest from MK exit.

Definately a full day...

Bed at 10 or 10:30.

Deep Thoughts Day 2: The afternoon break was a life saver and actually not as hard to leave and come back as you might think. Be our Guest 8am breakfast was one of the trip hints that worked wonderfully. Was just a magical day.

 

[shannie102]

day two: (half of the day, anyway)


-Rode 7 dwarfs mine train twice no line. Park was not even open yet. awesome!!!!
View attachment 274499 FAVORITE PIC!!! the expressions on my kid's faces says it all....

Thats awesome!! What time did they start letting you ride? or did it just take people that long to walk from main st to ride?

 

[jimitrout]

8:00am reservation....It was about 8:40...we walked right from Be Our Guest over to 7 Dwarfs and walked right on. After we finished the first time we walked around to the entrance and walked right on again.
After second time through it was about 9am or alittle after, which is the normal park opening. At this time people were getting in line that came in from the main entrance. So theoritically we could have gotten in line with a reasonable wait again. We didnt, we moved on and started touring other parts of the park at this time. What I had heard is that usually around 8:30 or so they go through the daily safety checks and after that is finished they let people on to ride. It worked beautifully for us. We did the same thing later in the week with an 7:50am Garden Grille breakfast and went around the corner to Soarin, rode it twice also with almost no wait.

 

[GoofyVette]

Congrats, Love the pics.