No zombies here, 13 years of trip reports!!!

[AirGoofy]

They have been riding and re-riding tea cups this whole time. I hope it is time to move on. Nope, the friend wants to ride Splash Mountain, on other side of MK. Commando plans thwarted.



Then, we ran into one of the players on my soccer team. 1000 miles away and we've met up with 5 families.



Splash Mountain.



Time for MNSSHP to start. No more pics til tomorrow.

 

[twokids0204]

Awesome day...

Send some of that Caramel Corn to the neighbors to the North!

I meant to bring some home with us in August... but forgot!

We did have a bag while there...

 

[MaMudduck]

Awesome trip highlights!- Today I'm going through SERIOUS WDW withdrawal, it's been 5 days since my last hit!
I'm so glad to hear that someone else besides me, truly loves that early morning walk through an empty world showcase to the princess breakfast....*sigh*, this is the most wonderful ingrained memories of my dd's first few times to the magic

Your girls are beautiful...and I love the costumes last night.

I like the Epcot picture with Minnie for the christmas card...btw

 

[Live4Surf]

What a awesome trip report! Looks like you guys are having a blast!

 

[kasedroz]

Wow! Looks like you guys are having a blast! When you get back I need to pick your brain for Epcot tips (Dec trip will be our first ever trip to Epcot! Shocker. I know) I was super excited to see Merida at MK! We need more redheaded leads!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[AirGoofy]

Awesome day...

Send some of that Caramel Corn to the neighbors to the North!

I meant to bring some home with us in August... but forgot!

We did have a bag while there...

It was good stuff. I'm not sure the pre-packaged is as good, but I'll risk it next time to take on the road.

Awesome trip highlights!- Today I'm going through SERIOUS WDW withdrawal, it's been 5 days since my last hit!
I'm so glad to hear that someone else besides me, truly loves that early morning walk through an empty world showcase to the princess breakfast....*sigh*, this is the most wonderful ingrained memories of my dd's first few times to the magic

Your girls are beautiful...and I love the costumes last night.

I like the Epcot picture with Minnie for the christmas card...btw

Thank you.

What a awesome trip report! Looks like you guys are having a blast!

We are. It's that drive home now.

Wow! Looks like you guys are having a blast! When you get back I need to pick your brain for Epcot tips (Dec trip will be our first ever trip to Epcot! Shocker. I know) I was super excited to see Merida at MK! We need more redheaded leads!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Be happy to offer any that I can. MK is our favorite park and Epcot is my second. I was happy to get that picture, especially with the timing of the whole thing.

 

[AirGoofy]

These are the last of the pictures from the MNSSHP last night.

Left Splash Mountain and found this quartet - Cadaver Dans instead of Dapper Dans. Again, something new for us. I always like seeing something new at WDW.



The MNSSHP officially started, so it's time to go to Haunted Mansion again first as usual.



Then, we knock out some familiars. Peter Pan and IASW.

Then, it's a walk past the first parade and dinner at Lunching Pad - hot dogs and pretzels. We were all really tired. I think one of my future recommendations/ plans will be not to do three parks till midnight.

We do Buzz Light Year. In have one of these from each year. My oldest said she almost couldn't squeeze her head inside the bars.
​

We find the ball/ cauldron toss game over in front of Mickey Star Traders. We were just really tired, so at this point, we just slowed down and missed some rides and trick or treating I would normally have pushed everyone to do. Each one so they received a button with their name on it.





Then, it was Hallow wishes time - the best fireworks show in WDW I have ever seen. All our seats were taken at the Tomorrowland bridge, so apparently EVERYONE read my trip report for my strategy. we had to stand and watch the fireworks, but it was still the best show.

Then, we head over to Frontierland for our parade seats, and manage to get the bench seats outside LTT. A great catch. DW and youngest dd went to get a picture with Tiana while we held the seats. The Headless Horseman returned. Apparently, the horse threw the rider on Monday. While I have no official details, my guess was the ground was too wet. But, it was good to see the rider back in the saddle again.

We went and did some shopping at Emporium and got our 2012 Halloween pin. I'll post pics of the pin collection when I get home. On the way out, oldest was into Agent P, got her Perry Platypus pillow pet, and was able to snag this picture before we exited the park.



What a great way to end our vacation. We'll pack up and drive back home in a few hours. I may add some more lunch pictures and pins pictures tomorrow along with some final thoughts and conclusions. Thanks for following us along on our Disneytopia vacation.

 

[moose615]

Great trip report Norm, I enjoyed reading it and our meet up

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Looks like you've been having a great time! Love the view from BLT. Sorry I was so late checking in!

 

[afwdwfan]

Don't know if you've hit the road yet, but if you have time, I hear there's a soft opening at Fantasyland right now. Touringplans is tweeting info about it.

 

[twokids0204]

It was good stuff. I'm not sure the pre-packaged is as good, but I'll risk it next time to take on the road.

The pre-packaged IS as good...

I have brought it home in the past.

 

[Disney Commando]

Great TR, Glad you had a Great Time, Have a SAFE trip home

 

[AirGoofy]

Great trip report Norm, I enjoyed reading it and our meet up

Don't miss the epilogue,

Looks like you've been having a great time! Love the view from BLT. Sorry I was so late checking in!

Glad to have you along.

Don't know if you've hit the road yet, but if you have time, I hear there's a soft opening at Fantasyland right now. Touringplans is tweeting info about it.

Yeah, I knew about it. I thought about adding another day on (or just paying cash), but we have birthday plans tonight with FIL. I'll get to see it next year - always worth waiting for something Disney magical.

The pre-packaged IS as good...

I have brought it home in the past.

Great TR, Glad you had a Great Time, Have a SAFE trip home

Don't miss the epilogue,

 

[AirGoofy]

Day 7 - Our last day at WDW (October 12) is always the worst. And, to top it off, it is DW's birthday and we have a 13 hour car ride. So, we enjoy the last few breaths of Disney magic, eat lunch, and then it is on the road.

Departing Mickey Waffles for dds.

 

[AirGoofy]

Yesterday was DW's birthday. While it is great to be able to give her a Disney vacation every year (coincidence that it occurs during school Fall Break ), it meant spending 13 hours in the car driving home yesterday. We have driven there before on her birthday, which works ok, but not as much driving home.

I had planned to go to the store and get her roses and breakfast for her birthday, but I picked up a few extras as well - pink roses, Krispy Kreme donuts, a new pillow, and coke classic in those glass bottles. They just taste better that way.

 

[AirGoofy]

My updated Disney Pin collection (81). Each one has a memory, which is why I am a pin collector and not pin trader. I didn't add to my Disney city this year. Cinderella's castle is broken and I need a new one, but I meant to add the train this year, but I forgot. I also want to add Tree of Life, but I haven't seen that one yet.

 

[AirGoofy]

So, another great WDW vacation in the books.

Some new things we learned this trip and considerations to make for future trips.

As of now, we need to avoid 3 late nights. We had two MNSSHP and one Epcot evening EMH to midnight and it is too exhausting for our children. Well, I am tired as well, but they seemed to struggle a bit more. Also, staying at the parks until midnight the day before you check out was not the best of ideas. While we were not rushed to check out, it was tiring. Finally, for our family, we work better when we skip days between parks. So, while we did Epcot to midnight and not a party the next day until 4:00 PM, we really needed the whole day of rest. Finally, not to try to many new places to eat. My goal is to eat at every restaurant (that I want to try) at WDW, however, sometimes, I overdo it and it is too much food. With that in mind, let's consider our 2013 trip planned.....

 

[AirGoofy]

Easter week. I know the crowd levels will be terrible.

Boardwalk

Saturday - Arrive
8:00 AM - Cape May

Sunday
Mass
5:45 Shula's

Monday - DHS
5:05 - Hollywood Brown Derby

Tuesday
ESPN Club

Wednesday - Epcot
8:10 Akershus
5:45 Via Napoli

Thursday - Leave
ESPN Club lunch

 

[Wherem I Now]

Great to see that you already have the next trip lined up!

Thanks for bringing us along. I loved knowing that your pictures had just been taken just hours before I got to see them.

Great job!

 

[AirGoofy]

Great to see that you already have the next trip lined up!

Thanks for bringing us along. I loved knowing that your pictures had just been taken just hours before I got to see them.

Great job!

Thanks. That is one of the things we really like about DVC, booking at 11 months out, and having a vacation planned as soon as we get back. Of course, I'm sure the money makers at WDW like to see that as well.

I had fun doing the live trip report. I was able to post a few right away when I took them, and some I waited until the children were in bed or getting showered/ dressed to write a bit more of it. I wish my cell phone took better pictures, but I found with the other camera, I was fumbling with my cell phone, camera, and Photopass and it just got to be too much.