Well, we've been back since Wednesday but I didn't have too much time to write. It was a great trip! We stayed in a 1 BR for 8 nights. Decided at the last minute to get APs and will go back and experience WDW in the heat and humidity of August for the first time 
The room was fine - clean, no problems. It was a 1st floor room, not much of a view, but I didn't ask for anything except nonsmoking. It was convenient to the bus stop and lobby of BC. We missed the gingerbread house decorating at 3pm on Tuesday - I didn't read about it until that day when the kids had already hit the pool. Looked pretty neat.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous and made for touring. One day it was downright chilly all day. We weren't planning on hitting the parks everyday but then after getting APs we found it hard not to. The crowds were a little bit scary at times but since we went 2 years ago at Easter it seems much less overwhelming; I think once you experience it you know what to expect. We generally hit the parks early and stayed until 1 or 2. Tues before TG we hit MK, our first day in a park. Wednesday we went to MGM and Thanksgiving day we spent at Typhoon Lagoon. TL got way more crowded than I thought it would be but we had gotten there at opening and I knew enough to do some of the slides before it got very busy. The kids loved it. We did mosey over to Epcot almost every evening.
Friday we went to AK. This was the very chilly day. Headed over to Dinoland and my 8yo rode Primeval Whirl about 3 times in a row with dad and then again with me. Took the 4 yo on Dinosaur and he loved it so he went again with dad. 8yo refused, didn't like it last year. No waits for any of the rides we did in the morning. It did get crowded and we didn't do much else except get some characters to sign shirt/book. I think this was the day we all took a long nap then we headed over to MGM for Fantasmic!. We were able to walk in about 20 minutes before the 6:30 show started and get pretty good seats. Getting out was another story
I think DH doesn't want to do it again because of the exit experience.
Our last 3 days we spent the morning at MK. Sunday my 8yo and I went over earlier as it was EE day and DH wasn't ready. We rode space mountain and buzz about 2 times each w/o a wait. We did a bunch of other rides after DH and DS joined us including Philharmagic - which is amazing. We experienced it about 3 times, not in one day.
Monday was great. While in places it still seemed as crowded as the day before, it clearly wasn't as we rode the mountains 2x each (who knew that my 4yo would love them. He was afraid of Buzz Lightyear ride last year) without fastpasses and w/o waiting very long at all. Later at Epcot that evening we rode TT (twice) and Mission Space without waiting! The board said 20 minutes for TT but it was about 5. Mission Space was even less. We did the same thing Tuesday night at Epcot, but a little later (about 9pm by our last ride).
The resorts we visited and the parks were all festively decorated. Saw a lot of people taking family pictures in front of the DVC xmas tree. This was only our 2nd trip home and one thing that surprised me that I didn't notice last time was how aloof other DVCers seemed to be - barely anyone I passed looked at me let alone said hello. The painter (repainting the hallway baseboards) and the maintenance people were all very friendly, however.
Laura
The room was fine - clean, no problems. It was a 1st floor room, not much of a view, but I didn't ask for anything except nonsmoking. It was convenient to the bus stop and lobby of BC. We missed the gingerbread house decorating at 3pm on Tuesday - I didn't read about it until that day when the kids had already hit the pool. Looked pretty neat.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous and made for touring. One day it was downright chilly all day. We weren't planning on hitting the parks everyday but then after getting APs we found it hard not to. The crowds were a little bit scary at times but since we went 2 years ago at Easter it seems much less overwhelming; I think once you experience it you know what to expect. We generally hit the parks early and stayed until 1 or 2. Tues before TG we hit MK, our first day in a park. Wednesday we went to MGM and Thanksgiving day we spent at Typhoon Lagoon. TL got way more crowded than I thought it would be but we had gotten there at opening and I knew enough to do some of the slides before it got very busy. The kids loved it. We did mosey over to Epcot almost every evening.
Friday we went to AK. This was the very chilly day. Headed over to Dinoland and my 8yo rode Primeval Whirl about 3 times in a row with dad and then again with me. Took the 4 yo on Dinosaur and he loved it so he went again with dad. 8yo refused, didn't like it last year. No waits for any of the rides we did in the morning. It did get crowded and we didn't do much else except get some characters to sign shirt/book. I think this was the day we all took a long nap then we headed over to MGM for Fantasmic!. We were able to walk in about 20 minutes before the 6:30 show started and get pretty good seats. Getting out was another story
I think DH doesn't want to do it again because of the exit experience.Our last 3 days we spent the morning at MK. Sunday my 8yo and I went over earlier as it was EE day and DH wasn't ready. We rode space mountain and buzz about 2 times each w/o a wait. We did a bunch of other rides after DH and DS joined us including Philharmagic - which is amazing. We experienced it about 3 times, not in one day.
Monday was great. While in places it still seemed as crowded as the day before, it clearly wasn't as we rode the mountains 2x each (who knew that my 4yo would love them. He was afraid of Buzz Lightyear ride last year) without fastpasses and w/o waiting very long at all. Later at Epcot that evening we rode TT (twice) and Mission Space without waiting! The board said 20 minutes for TT but it was about 5. Mission Space was even less. We did the same thing Tuesday night at Epcot, but a little later (about 9pm by our last ride).
The resorts we visited and the parks were all festively decorated. Saw a lot of people taking family pictures in front of the DVC xmas tree. This was only our 2nd trip home and one thing that surprised me that I didn't notice last time was how aloof other DVCers seemed to be - barely anyone I passed looked at me let alone said hello. The painter (repainting the hallway baseboards) and the maintenance people were all very friendly, however.
Laura
