Excited? That's An Understatement! A March 2025 PTR

[kclark9830]

Hi everyone! It's been a bit since my last trip report here on the DIS! I have been to the World since my last report, but no TR for it. So here we are!

My family of 4 (myself, hubby of 21 years, our 14 yo, and our 6 yo) are planning our next trip together to Orlando. We don't have exact dates, though we're heavily leaning toward March 2025, and we haven't chosen which resort we're going to stay at.

So, what do we know? Who we will be taking!



Here is myself and my daughter Ashlyn last summer in Magic Kingdom!



And also going will be my husband Micheal and our little boy, Miles. This picture was from a trip we planned back in 2018.

Here are a few more details about this trip:

When? Most likely March 1-7, 2025

Where? Either the Boardwalk Villas, Animal Kingdom Lodge, or Wildernes Lodge

Who? We've already established that!

Why? This is 2-fold: #1 is because we have not had a family vacation with all 4 of us since 2022! And #2 is to celebrate my husband's graduation from college in December of this year!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Hi Katie!! So nice to see you around the boards again! I remember you were one of the very first people to ever read one of my TRs I can't believe Ashlyn is 14!!!!! Time flies Can't wait to read all about your trip planning

 

[kclark9830]

Hi Katie!! So nice to see you around the boards again! I remember you were one of the very first people to ever read one of my TRs I can't believe Ashlyn is 14!!!!! Time flies Can't wait to read all about your trip planning

Hiii!!! So great to reconnect .

 

[DLo]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more

 

[kclark9830]

Oh Disney Resorts, how I love thee...let me count the ways!

Choosing which resort to stay at can be easy or hard. Sometimes I literally know exactly what I want. Other times, the decision is more challenging. That's how I feel this go around.

We've stayed around Crescent Lake twice now and LOVED it. It is my preferred area. But I still have a draw for trying new resorts. Boardwalk Villas would be great, and I'd be very happy there.




But I've never stayed at Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.






Anyone want to give some input there? My husband prefers the Boardwalk area, but he is open to whatever I choose.

The other struggle is our dates. Hubby works weekends, so he doesn't to miss two Saturdays in a row. In fact, he wants to be home on a Thursday so he has a full day at home on Friday before returning to work on that Saturday. (He is currently in school for a degree in Funeral Service and Embalming...I know, I know...so that explains why missing 2 weekends in a row isn't something he wants to do. Funerals stop for no vacation, Disney or otherwise.)

This means our options are:

Feb 28-March 6 (but we wouldn't fly out until late Feb 28)

OR

March 1-6

I do think Feb 28-March 6 is going to be our decision here, but I hate such late flights. Boo! Anyone ever flown in so late and have any input?

 

[kclark9830]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more

Thanks for joining in!!!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Hi Katie! I’m excited to join in on your planning.

I’ve always picked very early flights for Disney World (more Disney time!) but perhaps arriving on the 28th would be better as you’ll be ready to go with a full day on the 1st. However, you know your family best and perhaps you’d prefer an early flight versus to an evening flight to keep everyone happy.

As for resorts, it’s a tough call. I’ve stayed at both Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge and both are BEAUTIFUL and extremely well themed. I’d love to stay at both of them again.

Of the two, AKL may be my favorite but its major downside is the distance from the parks (especially MK) and the bus-only transportation. That said, I was never put off by the distance and it’s on my list once my kids are older and we don’t have strollers and naps. Plus, all the food choices at AKL are excellent and the pools (I believe you may also use Kidani) are also great. If you plan to skip afternoon breaks at the resort and/or you plan to enjoy some resort time, it’s a wonderful choice.

As for Wilderness Lodge, its proximity and boat service to MK is a major plus. It also has great food choices - Storybook Dining and Geyser Point always rank high and I enjoyed Roaring Fork. It’s also a great choice if you like the MK resort area - the afternoon boat route takes you to FW (right next to Hoop Dee Doo) or the Contemporary where you can catch the monorail. I’d pick Wilderness Lodge over AKL if you plan to spend a lot of time at MK (that boat is convenient!) or love exploring or eating at the MK area resorts.

That said, the Epcot resort area is amazing if you love to spend time at Epcot or HS. I’ve never stayed in that area (yet! Our upcoming stay at the BCV is just weeks away!) but I definitely picked it as walking to Epcot and walking/boating/Skylining to HS will be excellent with young kids. One thing to consider is the Stormalong Bay refurb may make the Boardwalk busier than usual in early 2025. You may also find great discounts at the Beach Club (less so the Yacht Club, as they may be doing a refurb?) during the first six months of the year to incentivize people to visit despite the main pool being out of service. Your choice depends on how important the pool is to you!

 

[kclark9830]

Hi Katie! I’m excited to join in on your planning.

I’ve always picked very early flights for Disney World (more Disney time!) but perhaps arriving on the 28th would be better as you’ll be ready to go with a full day on the 1st. However, you know your family best and perhaps you’d prefer an early flight versus to an evening flight to keep everyone happy.

As for resorts, it’s a tough call. I’ve stayed at both Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge and both are BEAUTIFUL and extremely well themed. I’d love to stay at both of them again.

Of the two, AKL may be my favorite but its major downside is the distance from the parks (especially MK) and the bus-only transportation. That said, I was never put off by the distance and it’s on my list once my kids are older and we don’t have strollers and naps. Plus, all the food choices at AKL are excellent and the pools (I believe you may also use Kidani) are also great. If you plan to skip afternoon breaks at the resort and/or you plan to enjoy some resort time, it’s a wonderful choice.

As for Wilderness Lodge, its proximity and boat service to MK is a major plus. It also has great food choices - Storybook Dining and Geyser Point always rank high and I enjoyed Roaring Fork. It’s also a great choice if you like the MK resort area - the afternoon boat route takes you to FW (right next to Hoop Dee Doo) or the Contemporary where you can catch the monorail. I’d pick Wilderness Lodge over AKL if you plan to spend a lot of time at MK (that boat is convenient!) or love exploring or eating at the MK area resorts.

That said, the Epcot resort area is amazing if you love to spend time at Epcot or HS. I’ve never stayed in that area (yet! Our upcoming stay at the BCV is just weeks away!) but I definitely picked it as walking to Epcot and walking/boating/Skylining to HS will be excellent with young kids. One thing to consider is the Stormalong Bay refurb may make the Boardwalk busier than usual in early 2025. You may also find great discounts at the Beach Club (less so the Yacht Club, as they may be doing a refurb?) during the first six months of the year to incentivize people to visit despite the main pool being out of service. Your choice depends on how important the pool is to you!

Right, with the refurb for Stormalong Bay, I have been torn about Boardwalk. Honestly, I wanted to go with Beach Club originally, but with the refurb I decided against it.

We also considered the Swan & Dolphin, which we've stayed at and enjoyed, but decided against that too.

I think you're right about the flights. My thought is it will be inconvenient to fly at night, but that is still more convenient than the alternative when I consider waking up already in Disney!

 

[jewels1916]

Hi, I can't wait to follow along with your plans! For me planning is half the fun. And I'm with you, choosing a resort can be one of the toughest decisions! I'm always torn between an old fave, and staying somewhere new. Wilderness Lodge is one of my top choices because of the proximity to my favorite park, plus that boat ride from WL to Magic Kingdom is just so relaxing. It's also where I honeymooned, so of course it has a special place in my heart. Can't wait to hear what you decide!

 

[kclark9830]

Hi, I can't wait to follow along with your plans! For me planning is half the fun. And I'm with you, choosing a resort can be one of the toughest decisions! I'm always torn between an old fave, and staying somewhere new. Wilderness Lodge is one of my top choices because of the proximity to my favorite park, plus that boat ride from WL to Magic Kingdom is just so relaxing. It's also where I honeymooned, so of course it has a special place in my heart. Can't wait to hear what you decide!

Planning is definitely half the fun! I love the Dis, where everyone "gets" it, LOL! Thank you for the recommendation! I think my husband would love Wilderness Lodge, yet he is continuing to say he really likes the Boardwalk area...so we will see!

 

[kclark9830]

Good morning everyone! We've had some movement...we went ahead and secured a reservation. I admit, it was only because I couldn't wait any longer . We are foregoing a traditional vacation this year as hubby finishes up college throughout the summer and fall semesters. And then NEXT year we plan to take 2-3 trips: WDW in March, an Alaskan cruise in July or August, and most likely Gatlinburg in the late fall.

So, without a vacay this year, I am dying to plan! 🏝✈

OK, OK, let's get to the actual news. We will be staying at the Boardwalk Villas! As much as I wanted to try a new spot, I got pulled into my love for the Epcot area.



Our dates will be Feb. 28- March 6, 2025. I juse love looking at the reservation in MDE . Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

That's all for now!!!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Hooray on booking your resort! It’s always a tough choice (there are so many great ones!) but I’m sure you’ll love being back in the Epcot resort area. It’s so convenient to both Epcot and HS!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Planning truly is half the fun!

I know you already chose your resort but I was leaning towards BW too. We are doing May 2025 and wanted to do BC but won’t due to the SAB refurb. I had promised my daughter BC for our next trip but she understands and doesn’t want to stay there if SAB is closed. I just love the Crescent Lake area and I’ve stayed at BWV and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also like to try new resorts but we are going to try and rent points again for BWV next trip. So I think you made a great choice!! You can’t beat the location and the walk to two parks. I love the whole vibe of the area too.

As for the late flight…we did this last trip. We are typically 6 am flight people and in a park by 10 amand stay until close. After the previous trip we really beat our bodies up doing this. It probably wasn’t the greatest idea to try and do RD at AK the following day but lessons were learned. We were exhausted the next 2 days. So we decided to fly out the day before instead of our usual 6 amflight. DD had school so we flew out at 6:30 pm, landed by 8:40 pm or so and were at our resort (CSR) by 9:30ish. We took our bags to our room and stopped at Three Bridges for dinner. We then unpacked and went to bed so we could be up for RD at MK. It really worked out well. We were so excited we were up super early and made it to the park about an hour before opening and had lots of time for pictures and taking it all in. Next trip we will probably do a little earlier flight though because eating so late wasn’t my favorite. We will probably do a mid morning flight but still not hit a park until the next morning.

I think you also picked a great time to go. You should be there for the beginning of Flower of Garden. It’s the main reason we chose May 2025. For the festival! The pictures I see always look so beautiful.

 

[jewels1916]

Yay, you got your park reservation all secured! Boardwalk is a beautiful place, and that walk into Epcot *chef's kiss.* Give a little wave to Sea Breeze Point when you pass it for me! That's where I said "I do!"

 

[kclark9830]

Hooray on booking your resort! It’s always a tough choice (there are so many great ones!) but I’m sure you’ll love being back in the Epcot resort area. It’s so convenient to both Epcot and HS!

Yes, I'm so excited for it .

Planning truly is half the fun!

I know you already chose your resort but I was leaning towards BW too. We are doing May 2025 and wanted to do BC but won’t due to the SAB refurb. I had promised my daughter BC for our next trip but she understands and doesn’t want to stay there if SAB is closed. I just love the Crescent Lake area and I’ve stayed at BWV and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also like to try new resorts but we are going to try and rent points again for BWV next trip. So I think you made a great choice!! You can’t beat the location and the walk to two parks. I love the whole vibe of the area too.

As for the late flight…we did this last trip. We are typically 6 am flight people and in a park by 10 amand stay until close. After the previous trip we really beat our bodies up doing this. It probably wasn’t the greatest idea to try and do RD at AK the following day but lessons were learned. We were exhausted the next 2 days. So we decided to fly out the day before instead of our usual 6 amflight. DD had school so we flew out at 6:30 pm, landed by 8:40 pm or so and were at our resort (CSR) by 9:30ish. We took our bags to our room and stopped at Three Bridges for dinner. We then unpacked and went to bed so we could be up for RD at MK. It really worked out well. We were so excited we were up super early and made it to the park about an hour before opening and had lots of time for pictures and taking it all in. Next trip we will probably do a little earlier flight though because eating so late wasn’t my favorite. We will probably do a mid morning flight but still not hit a park until the next morning.

I think you also picked a great time to go. You should be there for the beginning of Flower of Garden. It’s the main reason we chose May 2025. For the festival! The pictures I see always look so beautiful.

I'm sure you will enjoy F&G! We went last year during that time and loved it. We've never been in the spring though (last year we went in June), so I'm looking forward to hopefully milder weather!

Yay, you got your park reservation all secured! Boardwalk is a beautiful place, and that walk into Epcot *chef's kiss.* Give a little wave to Sea Breeze Point when you pass it for me! That's where I said "I do!"

How cool! I'll have to remember to give a wave . We saw a wedding there back in 2018!

 

[kclark9830]

We still have over 9 mos. until our trip, but I'm already thinking over how we'll spend our days.

Arriving on a Friday night, we will probably enjoy the resort & Boardwalk area on Saturday.

Then, I'm thinking 4-day park hopper tickets, with the intention of getting Genie+ each day. Last summer, we only did G+ on our MK and HS days, but I ended up kind of regretting that.

Speaking of last summer, I though it might be fun to do a mini TR here from that trip!

The attendees were my, my daughter Ashlyn, and son Miles, along with my mom!



We had so much fun!!! My mom bought us matching shirts for our MK day, as you can kind of see here.

To be honest, I was nervous for this trip. My mom isn't the easiest person to travel with (and TBH, I guess I'm not either ). But it all worked out really well! We'd been to WDW together a couple of other times, but never in the same room.

On this trip we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in a Royal Room! I absolutely loved the resort and the room. We arrived on a Saturday evening, and we spent the evening hours at the pool. Jazz music was playing, and the atmosphere was spot on and perfect.






I'll share more fun later . TtFN!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I love a mini trip report!

The royal rooms look incredible and quite magical. I’ve stayed at Riverside twice and have enjoyed it both times.

 

[kclark9830]

To Firework Dessert Party or to Not Firework Dessert Party...that is the question .

So, I've been reading and thinking about our trip. Though we've been to Disney lots, I have never actually seen the MK fireworks . I really really want to make sure I make it nearly impossible to miss them, and I'm thinking the best way to do that might be to book a dessert party.

It's an expensive way to see the fireworks, but clearly I'm not good at making it a priority without some kind of commitment.

Anyone have experience to share? Recommendations about which party to book (I see there are 3 time options)?

Let's also get a bit more into our mini TR from last June!

We were up early and at MK for rope drop of our first park day (we arrived on Sat. nighe, spent Sunday going to church and then Disney Springs, so Mon. was our 1st park day).




(Miles didn't want to be in the picture, lol)


We headed straight to...Dumbo and Barnstormer ×2 .



I need instant gratification.

We had purchased G+, so our next stop was Peter Pan's Flight to use our LL. While in line, we made our next LL for Buzz's Space Ranger Spin.

We'd also snagged a VQ for Tron, and it was being called. However, we sorta kinda chickened out of using it.

We went on toward Buzz and enjoyed that instead! At this point we were getting pretty hot and icky, so we stopped for a snack. We always bring a bag of snacks from our hotel room (grocery order), and that's what we ate here. I'd love to be fully immersed and buy snacks in the park, but my kids would literally eat a bite or two and say they were done. They eat Goldfish Crackers and little else. (Not literally, but still...)

We also hopped onto the People mover, of course!



Once everyone was chilled and refreshed, we headed across the park to Adventureland for our next LL - Jungle Cruise! We had a great time on this ride. It was my mom's first time, and she really enjoyed it.

From there we did Magic Carpets, because little kids love it so why not?

At this point it was nearing lunch time and we had reservations at a new to us restaurant--Liberty Tree Tavern!



We still had a little while until our time opened up, so we rested our feet at the Hall of Presidents. We also checked out Ye Ole Christmas Shoppe.

Now it was time to check in! We were taken to our table immediately, and just let me tell you. Y'all have got to eat here! YUM YUM YUM! (I am 100% intending to book this one on our March trip!)

Since we had G+, we also had the funny filters in the MDE app. We had fun with those.





Our meal was a true highlight of our trip, and overall this was a MAGICAL first park morning. We stopped at the Emporium on our way out, but we would be back later in the night!

 

[kclark9830]

I love a mini trip report!

The royal rooms look incredible and quite magical. I’ve stayed at Riverside twice and have enjoyed it both times.

Yes, we really love POR!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I 100% recommend the MK Fireworks dessert party if you can swing the cost. The desserts are fine (frankly, I think they used to be better), but the designated spot for fireworks is worth it. We did the pre-party which was the right choice with young kids. We checked in for the dessert party, ate our desserts, and were brought over to the garden viewing area about 30 minutes before the fireworks started. We hung back when everyone else rushed forward and smushed together. Our view was the same but likely better as we were basically by ourselves.

With all the castle projections I'd do either the pre- or post-party so you get the garden viewing. The view from Tomorrowland Terrace is fine (if sideways) for the fireworks but not great for the many castle projections.