"Let's Ride Every Ride in WDW" - The Trip Where Everything Went Right (April 2018)

[Greg Lembrich]

Great tips I will note! Part of the challenge for us is the older kid is special needs so we try to plan for that. We even splurged on the contemporary resort theme park view to watch fireworks from there and t be able to walk to MK. We did this our first time last year and it’s helped a lot.

Before this last trip, my family stayed at BLT a few times, especially when we were there with a larger party. You really cannot beat the convenience! Being able to walk right over to MK without dealing with the TTC is great, and makes it so easy to take a midday break. And being able to watch the fireworks from your room or balcony is amazing. If you can, however, I would recommend seeing HEA from a good close spot in MK one night. The castle projections are incredible and really add another element to the show. Have a great time!

 

[Greg Lembrich]

Another great day in the books! It's been a lot of fun reading about your trip with your daughter. This is something she will remember forever!!!

Thanks! Me too

 

[missangelalexis]

Sorry I was late to the party! I just read the whole report though

That is really adorable that it was just the two of you, a trip she will always remember!

I'm super impressed with all the planning you did for this trip, especially making a plan to ride every ride!

Your first day sounds so fun. A super successful morning at HS and a wonderful afternoon/evening at AK. I have never heard of that your before but it sounds like a good one!

You guys did so well with your time at EMM! I have previously done the one at HS and found it to be well worth it!

I'm glad the rain didn't ruin your MK day or deter you from accomplishing your goal! Sounds like a pretty awesome day!

Very cool being on the first boat of the day at FEA.

Wow you guys really had the best time on your return visit to HS!

First mine car of the day too? This trip really was in your favor! Your final park day sounds like a blast getting to re-ride your favorites.

Your breakfast at CM's sounds like a great way to end the trip.

I really enjoyed reading this report. I was always a Daddy's girl (hey I still am ) so it warms my heart to read about the wonderful relationship you two have! Hopefully you will have another trip planned in the near future!

 

[Greg Lembrich]

Sorry I was late to the party! I just read the whole report though

That is really adorable that it was just the two of you, a trip she will always remember!

I'm super impressed with all the planning you did for this trip, especially making a plan to ride every ride!

Your first day sounds so fun. A super successful morning at HS and a wonderful afternoon/evening at AK. I have never heard of that your before but it sounds like a good one!

You guys did so well with your time at EMM! I have previously done the one at HS and found it to be well worth it!

I'm glad the rain didn't ruin your MK day or deter you from accomplishing your goal! Sounds like a pretty awesome day!

Very cool being on the first boat of the day at FEA.

Wow you guys really had the best time on your return visit to HS!

First mine car of the day too? This trip really was in your favor! Your final park day sounds like a blast getting to re-ride your favorites.

Your breakfast at CM's sounds like a great way to end the trip.

I really enjoyed reading this report. I was always a Daddy's girl (hey I still am ) so it warms my heart to read about the wonderful relationship you two have! Hopefully you will have another trip planned in the near future!

Thanks so much! We are already planning a trip to Disneyland and California Adventure for next spring break! And of course we plan to ride every ride there too

 

[N8sgirl12]

This was such a fun trip report to read! I did "Mommy and me" trips with each of my daughters last year and the time together was priceless. Glad you got to experience the magic together like that!

 

[Greg Lembrich]

This was such a fun trip report to read! I did "Mommy and me" trips with each of my daughters last year and the time together was priceless. Glad you got to experience the magic together like that!

Thanks! Family trips are great too, but there is something really special about that one on one time between parent and child. Priceless is exactly right

 

[wdwcp2001]

So awesome!! Your trip was amazing and you did such a great job on this trip report. Great details, tips and pictures. Your last post made me tear up! So sweet. Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

[Greg Lembrich]

So awesome!! Your trip was amazing and you did such a great job on this trip report. Great details, tips and pictures. Your last post made me tear up! So sweet. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Thank you for your kind words, and also for following along on the TR.

 

[CCostner]

Your summary of how meaningful vacations can be has warmed my heart. I started visiting WDW with my nieces and nephews in 2013 and treasure all of the vacations we have had together. As a new parent, I am looking forward, even more so now, to making new memories one day soon.

 

[Greg Lembrich]

Your summary of how meaningful vacations can be has warmed my heart. I started visiting WDW with my nieces and nephews in 2013 and treasure all of the vacations we have had together. As a new parent, I am looking forward, even more so now, to making new memories one day soon.

Thanks, and congratulations! I'm sure you'll have more special family trips in the years ahead.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Going in the standby line for FoP also gave us the chance to experience the incredible ride queue, which we had not seen the first time we rode since we went through the FP line with our tour. The queue added so much to our understanding and anticipation for the ride, and ultimately we enjoyed FoP much more the second time having experienced the queue. Plus the actual wait from the time we entered the FoP standby line until we were assigned our room was just 35 minutes!

I do agree the queue is fabulous! And I'm glad to hear about the overinflated times, as next trip I want to get in line right before park closing to see the queue again!

Glad you have fun, and I hope you are able to have a great time at DLR next year!

 

[MiracleCream]

Before this last trip, my family stayed at BLT a few times, especially when we were there with a larger party. You really cannot beat the convenience! Being able to walk right over to MK without dealing with the TTC is great, and makes it so easy to take a midday break. And being able to watch the fireworks from your room or balcony is amazing. If you can, however, I would recommend seeing HEA from a good close spot in MK one night. The castle projections are incredible and really add another element to the show. Have a great time!

We tried this one night and it was awful with our special needs kid even with noise cancelling headphones. He freaked out at the lights and sounds! We decided in November my husband will take our youngest and I will stay with my special needs kid to watch fireworks from our room so he can happily run around while he watches! I do agree that the projections are amazing!

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

Wow! What an amazing Trip report! It makes me want to try out a Tour or dessert party some time. I think it's really great you got to spend that time with your daughter and it will be a trip that you always remember, I'm sure. (I still remember the times I got to spend with my father as a little girl).
Glad everything went well for you!

 

[Greg Lembrich]

I do agree the queue is fabulous! And I'm glad to hear about the overinflated times, as next trip I want to get in line right before park closing to see the queue again!

Glad you have fun, and I hope you are able to have a great time at DLR next year!

Thanks! We usually find that the lines move very quickly just before and certainly after park close. A big reason is that FP holders are few and far between as park close approaches, so that line is just a trickle until it becomes nothing at park close (since no one has a FP for after the park is closed, of course). Once the FP line is eliminated, the standby line can move much more efficiently.

There is also a rumor that WDW (or the CMs working those rides) intentionally inflates wait times for major rides leading up to and at park close to discourage guests from lining up and essentially keeping the park open long after its closing time. This would make sense since one ride still operating means that lots of other stuff around the park, and the CMs who work it, are open later too. My anecdotal experience, which is consistent with many others on the DIS recently, is that posted FoP and NRJ wait times at that hour are 2x to 3x the actual wait.

Given how crazy RD is for FoP, I think this might be the better strategy, particularly if you don't mind staying up a little later. You still get the benefit of doing your waiting outside of hours you could otherwise be touring the park and doing other rides, you don't have to wake up early and be there with the mobs at RD, you don't have to fight the crowds getting to Pandora and to the FoP entrance, you get to experience the full queue, ride the ride, and then exit through a mostly empty park with no crowds to navigate in the parking lot or transport.

 

[Greg Lembrich]

We tried this one night and it was awful with our special needs kid even with noise cancelling headphones. He freaked out at the lights and sounds! We decided in November my husband will take our youngest and I will stay with my special needs kid to watch fireworks from our room so he can happily run around while he watches! I do agree that the projections are amazing!

I understand how this could be difficult for someone with sensory issues and/or struggles in dense crowds. In that case, being able to watch from the comfort of your room is ideal. Plus you don't need to fight the crowds in the Hub, on Main Street, etc. Sounds like your family has found the perfect situation.

 

[Davleigh]

Sooooo.......after multiple trips last year, we had decided to skip Disney this year. However, the combination of free dining and reading your report has changed that. A Mom and son trip has been scheduled for September! Thanks for the inspiration and for all of the great touring tips! So glad you all had a great time! Your daughter is so cute and seemed to have the best time ever!!

 

[naomiatx86]

Loved it!! Great trip & I'm glad ya'll both had a great time.
Thank you for taking the time to share it.

 

[Greg Lembrich]

Wow! What an amazing Trip report! It makes me want to try out a Tour or dessert party some time. I think it's really great you got to spend that time with your daughter and it will be a trip that you always remember, I'm sure. (I still remember the times I got to spend with my father as a little girl).
Glad everything went well for you!

Loved it!! Great trip & I'm glad ya'll both had a great time.
Thank you for taking the time to share it.

Thanks Elizabeth and naomiatx86!

 

[Greg Lembrich]

Sooooo.......after multiple trips last year, we had decided to skip Disney this year. However, the combination of free dining and reading your report has changed that. A Mom and son trip has been scheduled for September! Thanks for the inspiration and for all of the great touring tips! So glad you all had a great time! Your daughter is so cute and seemed to have the best time ever!!

Davleigh, your post made my day! That is so cool that you and your son are going together in September, and it warms my heart to know that my TR played even a small role in your decision (I'm sure that the free dining was a pretty significant factor too ). I know folks who have gone in September in previous years and had a great experience with low crowds and nice weather. Thanks for following along and for your great posts! I hope that you and your soon have a magical trip together in September, and I look forward to reading about it if you post a TR.

 

[Cloe Colton]

What an amazing TR! You'll have to do it all again when the new Toy Story Rides Open!

I have to ask, did doing two dessert parties feel like too much in one trip? I have HEA w/ plaza viewing booked for my next trip but the open bar for FEA dessert party is tempting