so looks like i'm going to Alaska - updated sept 17, 2015

[disneyholic family]

the title says it all...

more to follow...

..

 

[Ware Bears]

Snap!

We did the same trip in 2013 (Alaskan cruise and week in DL) with our DDs to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary and enjoyed it so much we're repeating it. Only difference is last time we flew down to LA from Vancouver but this time we're spending a couple of days post cruise in Seattle then taking the train down.

It's only going to be DH and myself as the girls are now off doing their own thing. We did go away for a few days last summer on our own (and were still speaking at the end! ) but it's going to seem very strange doing Disney without them.

Enjoy your planning!

 

[disneyholic family]

Snap!

We did the same trip in 2013 (Alaskan cruise and week in DL) with our DDs to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary and enjoyed it so much we're repeating it. Only difference is last time we flew down to LA from Vancouver but this time we're spending a couple of days post cruise in Seattle then taking the train down.

It's only going to be DH and myself as the girls are now off doing their own thing. We did go away for a few days last summer on our own (and were still speaking at the end! ) but it's going to seem very strange doing Disney without them.

Enjoy your planning!

i helped DD and her husband plan their honeymoon to alaska and WDW two years ago....i was so involved in the planning i felt as though i'd actually gone with them, but i didn't think i'd have a chance to any time soon.. (DH can't take off that much time)

but it turns out my mom's bucket list includes the glass dome train of the alaska railroad....i didn't even know she knew about it..

so the moment it came up (a few days ago), i quickly booked pretty much the very last two balcony rooms on the southbound cruise out of seward...

tonight DD and i will sit and make all the precruise reservations (hotels/trains/activities) for the one week pre-cruise trip through inland alaska (fairbanks, talkeetna, whittier, seward), as well as the cruise excursions (whale watch, etc)..

and i have to figure out the flights, but first we have to have the ground trip nailed down before i do the flights..

regarding the post-cruise portion of the trip, as of now, the plan is to either drive from vancouver to los angeles, or take the train from vancouver to seattle and drive from seattle to LA.
along the way, we'll stop in yosemite....

In LA, we will do what one does in LA - visit the mouse.

my mom and my son in law have never been to DL/DCA so we'll hang out there for 5 days, then head on home.

 

[disneyholic family]

i wasn't sure for a while if i had spoken too soon, but now it seems to be a go.

just bought our plane tickets, have the hotels in alaska booked, reserved the car for after the cruise, bought our train tickets for the glass dome train, booked a glacier tour.

all that's left is planning the day after the cruise around puget sound and the cruise excursions.

pretty exciting!!!!

 

[disneyholic family]

but disneyland is off the table.

Instead, after alaska, we'll visit the family in the US and go on several day and overnight trips from there (cedar point, mackinac island, niagara falls, etc). Should be almost as much fun as disney!!

 

[jothp]

It sounds like a fantastic trip - even without the Disney.

 

[wayneg]

Sounds great, enjoy your planning

 

[stephensmum]

Sounds great, dh has always wanted to do an Alaskan cruise & I've always wanted to do Disneyland. Will watch with interest for the future.

You were quick off the mark in booking,

 

[DLPDreams]

Sounds amazing! Enjoy the rest of your planning, although it sounds like you have a 'nailed' already

 

[disneyholic family]

Sounds great, dh has always wanted to do an Alaskan cruise & I've always wanted to do Disneyland. Will watch with interest for the future.

You were quick off the mark in booking,

actually, we were really slow on booking the cruise...
when i booked, there were only 5 balcony rooms left on the entire ship..
now there's only 1 left...
it's insane...
i've never seen a ship completely sold out like this....so many months in advance..

most of the people booked it when it first came out which i guess was a year or more ago...
but whatever, i'm so glad i was able to get something!!

 

[wayneg]

actually, we were really slow on booking the cruise...
when i booked, there were only 5 balcony rooms left on the entire ship..
now there's only 1 left...
it's insane...
i've never seen a ship completely sold out like this....so many months in advance..

most of the people booked it when it first came out which i guess was a year or more ago...
but whatever, i'm so glad i was able to get something!!

Our cruise in August had very limited cabins available last time I looked. I know a few people, like us, who love Disney but not happy with a few things going on in the parks plus some are staying away til the building works ease. The cruiseline is a great way to still get our Disney fix.

 

[Cyrano]

Beth, it sounds like you have a great trip in the offing.
Good luck planning

 

[disneyholic family]

Our cruise in August had very limited cabins available last time I looked. I know a few people, like us, who love Disney but not happy with a few things going on in the parks plus some are staying away til the building works ease. The cruiseline is a great way to still get our Disney fix.

well, as you well know Wayne, cruises are the opposite of the parks - totally relaxing....no commando running around the parks....just nice, relaxing, everything at your fingertips...
so this is sort of perfect...a cruise and an adventure in alaska...i'm really excited about it!!!!

Beth, it sounds like you have a great trip in the offing.
Good luck planning

thanks Reid!!

 

[disneyholic family]

It sounds like a fantastic trip - even without the Disney.

Sounds amazing! Enjoy the rest of your planning, although it sounds like you have a 'nailed' already

still a bit of planning left....i have to find a place to stay the night after the cruise...
we get into vancouver on friday, rent a car and head for the border..
but we only fly out of seattle saturday night...so i need a place in washington somewhere for friday night..
i have to do some research....maybe we'll drive around the puget sound area? or maybe down to mt. hood? not sure...
i'm totally unfamiliar with washington as i've never been there..

 

[wayneg]

i have to do some research....maybe we'll drive around the puget sound area? or maybe down to mt. hood? not sure...
i'm totally unfamiliar with washington as i've never been there..

We have been planning and researching for the past 10 hours. Totally new area for us. Flying into ATL then 15 days of unfamiliar territory. I think we have decided on a route, ATL (1nt) to New Orleans(3nts) onto Vicksburg (1nt) follow the Mississippi to Memphis(2nts) upto Nashville(2nts) then end with 6 nts around the Smoky mountains incl 44 mile train journey, white water rafting, chatanooga boat trip plus more. A trip to Orlando is far easier

 

[disneyholic family]

We have been planning and researching for the past 10 hours. Totally new area for us. Flying into ATL then 15 days of unfamiliar territory. I think we have decided on a route, ATL (1nt) to New Orleans(3nts) onto Vicksburg (1nt) follow the Mississippi to Memphis(2nts) upto Nashville(2nts) then end with 6 nts around the Smoky mountains incl 44 mile train journey, white water rafting, chatanooga boat trip plus more. A trip to Orlando is far easier

oh wow!!! that sounds AMAZING!!!!!!
i have been in all of those areas you mention....we used to drive south every year when i was growing up...through all the states you mention..
and i've been to the smoky mountains a few times (back in high school and college)...
are you there in the summer? because i know smokey mountains national park can get really busy then....at least it did when i was young...not that it's crowded...it's huge..
but i think they crowd control...or they did when i was young...they would only let so many in at a time...but that was a summer issue, not the rest of the year..but it may have changed since then....after all, i'm talking 40 years ago...(OMG i am OLD)...

forget what i said...it has to have changed in 40 years....

there's a good book...i don't recall if he gets to the areas you're talking about...what's his name....bill bryson....in search of small town america...i think that's what it's called...

anyway....it sounds so exciting!!! my bucket list trip is to drive coast to coast, visiting every national park along the way!!

you sound like you're doing a big piece of that!!

 

[disneyholic family]

just added something to the trip and crazily i'm most excited about this!

a visit to the Boeing factory in Everett Washington.

It's where they build the 747, 777 and 787.
Of course, i most want to see the 747 being built.

this factory is sooooooo big, that you can fit Disneyland inside it and still have room for the parking lots.

how cool is that!!!

yes i'm a geek!!

 

[DLPDreams]

just added something to the trip and crazily i'm most excited about this!

a visit to the Boeing factory in Everett Washington.

It's where they build the 747, 777 and 787.
Of course, i most want to see the 747 being built.

this factory is sooooooo big, that you can fit Disneyland inside it and still have room for the parking lots.

how cool is that!!!

yes i'm a geek!!

Not my 'cup of tea' (try explaining what that means to a 6 year old like I had to the other day - she looked at me like I'd gone mad when I said it ). But my DH would love it as he works in that field and always loved planes! .

It is lovely seeing how excited you are about your trip . You are going to have great fun!

 

[wayneg]

Again, not my cup of tea but great for you if that's what you are into.
My Brother would probably love it, in recent years he has gone from having a phobia of flying to passing his pilots licence and being a plane geek.

 

[Chilly]

I know we will return to Alaska in the future but we will probably wait till Freya is older. You'll have an amazing time.