36-Hour countdown and pre-trip report

[CowboyCO]

36 hours to go! We're about 90% packed and we will finish tonight.

The Cast of Players:

Background - We've been to Disneyland twice and WDW 8 times and stayed offsite, ASMU, POR, POP, OKW, CSR, and AKL (twice). This is our do-over vacation from last June because we were so stressed with DH's job (laid off with Vacay paid for and non-refundable)) and then DH threw out his back literally the morning we left zipping a suitcase closed.

DH47 (Erik) Loves Disney but wants some new experiences this time around.

DW40 (Jennifer) Is a true Disneyphile. She loves, loves, loves AKL and the dining plan. She is a slave-driver park warrior and proud of it. If we're not there at rope drop and last firework pop, it was a wasted day...

DS13 (Hunter) Loves music and still loves characters although he has promised to kill Dad if he throws him under the bus with the stepsisters like he usually does. He is also a park warrior, but is 3 weeks into a full-arm cast from severely breaking his arm the day the Waldo Canyon Fire broke out. He gets a new 1/2 cast on Monday afternoon before we head out to the Rockies game.

DS10 (Hayden) is the actor in the family and is all drama. He puts the class in clown and wants to be the center of attention. He can charm a snake from his charmer.

The itinerary:

Monday pm - Drive to Denver, catch the Rockies-Pirates game at Coors Field , check into a hotel near DIA and then catch a 7:20 am nonstop on Southwest to MCO

DW and DS10 will take Magic Express and DH and DS13 will pick up the rental car and go get some snacks and drinks and breakfast stuff at Publix on the way to check for an 8-night stay at AKL-Jambo with a standard view DVC rental.

No dining plan this time around and we got YES Park hoppers. Going without dining plan will allow us to try a lot of restaurants we always avoided because they didn't have much value in DDP, or weren't included. Restaurants chosen include: Via Napoli, Grand Floridian Cafe, 50's Primetime, The Garden Grove at the Swan, San Angel Inn, Sanaa, and The Plaza.

We have one day without park entrance, so are still discussing how best to use that day. Thoughts are the Pirate Cruise in Clearwater, Gatorland, DisneyQuest and DTD, Arabian Nights, or Medieval times. Would love some suggestions on what people think - or other ideas. With the cast on DS13, beaches and waterparks are out. This was a planned waterparks day, but that's been scratched.

We'll update as we go, starting from the Rockies game on though to the final day!

 

[CowboyCO]

24 Hours 'til our flight, but the vacation starts this afternoon!

DH and two DS's are packed, the park bag is packed, but DW stacked up everything she was considering packing and says she will get it all packed this morning. Then some cleaning so we don't come home to any mess. Dropping the dogs at SIL's house at 2:00, Dr's appt to get a new cast at 3:30 and then oof the Denver!

 

[CowboyCO]

Great game last night, with the Rockies winning in the bottom of the ninth!

This morning we went to DIA and had a perfect flight to Orlando. The weather here is WONDERFUL! Mid 80 s and little rainy. very comfortable for us mountain folk.

We checked and already have some pixie dust. UPGRADE! We got a savannah view instead standard room and we are ecstatic. DH stopped and got snacks and drinks and got to AKL at the exact time that Magic Express arrived with the family. Got some good beer, wine, sodas, water, breakfast stuff and generic snacks.

Now, we're starved, so we headed down to Mara to get some African stew and zebra domes, then off to Magic Kingdom for the night!