This Trip Report Is Under Refurbishment For Your Future Enjoyment (UPDATED 9/13 with final bonus chapter)

[jwoodbury]

I really enjoyed your trip report. Thanks for sharing!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I've been reading along but haven't posted in a while. No excuse other than work and, well, life. As always, I've enjoyed each and every story, bad joke...err.... I mean joke, and picture. Looking forward to your next adventure!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Happens to all of us.

Well, maybe not the Bill Gates types of the world

I'm sure he has problems of his own. Can't imagine what they may be, but still.

Mine was much better. It had exploding helicopters... and a hovercraft.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better!

Close to our reasons.
1. we agreed
2. like the theming
3. Elle wants the "grey stuff"
4. Only want lunch there, not dinner.

Works for me.

Oh, no. Not again...

Well, at least they were consistent.

Oh, dear. "There's no crying (or being cranky) at Disney!"

I wonder how many times that's been said over the years.

And you weren't annoyed by that at all, I'm sure.

You mean, over the fact that we could have been in a better room if we'd simply been able to enter on time? Me? Nah, why would I find that annoying?

Your French is impeccable!

I knew it! This language stuff is easy.

Also... forces you to sit for a bit... in air conditioning no less.

So there's that.

Don't worry. No one minded a bit.

ahem...

It's not the most obnoxious behavior I've ever seen.

I did see! Awesome shot!

After all the ups and downs of his ride experiences, seeing that big smile really made me glad.

Who invited him? Do you have lice? Or nits?

Not as far as you know.

No... Way...

Well, I'll be!
Did you know about that ahead of time, or did you luck out?

I had read about it, but wasn't sure where to look. I think one of the kids spotted it while we were waiting in line.

OMG!!! WHAT ARE THEY DOING???
They'll be flung from their seats!!!

You never know when that thing is going to speed up and get out of control!

The Dullness Parade.

That works too.

She gave birth to and is being a mother to your passel of kids. She's tired dude!

Oh, like that's an excuse.

Very nice photo of you two.

Thanks! I like that one a lot.

Huh! I've never even heard of it!

I hadn't until my parents tried it on a previous trip.

Oh nice! Squeezed a DISmeet in too!

I imagine it was a nice evening.

Always! We enjoyed their company.

What is wrong with her???

I mean, how can you not get excited over steak?

mmmm…. man that looks good.

Looks like a zebra dome!

Sub out the white chocolate and liquor for peanut butter...and it's way better!

Each one is thinking "Just stop. I don't want you taking my photo."

To which I say, "You're in Disney World. Get used to it."

Looks like a good spot.

Not too bad, all things considered.

Phew! Would not have been a great way to end your trip.

Yeah, and we had purposely saved it for the end. So I would have been kicking myself for not going earlier in the week.

Only 5? Huh. People are getting better mannered, it seems.

I think I'm just that intimidating.

Um... holy crap. That's a really good shot!

Thanks! All of these came from our phones. I feel like our phone fireworks photos actually turned out better than the ones we've taken with the good camera.

Do it!!

If only we had the time and money! Hopefully 4-5 years.

<sigh> Yeah... I sometimes wonder what Walt would've made of that.

We all like to think he would have stopped the nickel-and-diming that goes on. But I don't know.

Who is that! It can't be that little girl of yours!

All grown up now. Currently we're trying to figure out the college application process. We have no idea what we're doing.

And thank you for writing such wonderful and entertaining reports!
We wouldn't be reading without your wit and style.

Thank you, and I really appreciate that, @pkondz . I'm thankful for you and everyone who stops by and leaves comments. It's been a lot of fun to get to know the DIS community over the years.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I have to admit to never having much interest in Be Our Guest. It's definitely impressive with the theming. But the menu is kind of "meh" for me. I'm sure I could find something to eat and enjoy it. It just seems like my family would be as happy with other, cheaper options.

I think it's ok as a "one and done". See it for the theme. Then eat somewhere else.

Forced perspective works in most situations....

There's always a downside.

Yet another Christmas card photo! You'll never run out.

We should have the next 7 Christmas cards covered by now.

It sounds good and most likely what I would order.
The literal translation of Croque Monsieur is Mr. Crunch, which also makes it sounds kind of cool.

Or a breakfast cereal!

That's awesome. It really makes it all worthwhile.

I was so thrilled to see that look on his face.

I did know about the hidden Nautilus, but I forgot to look for it.

I think one of my kids spotted it first.

I'm not sure I've even heard of Turf Club. It certainly looks good.
You've got me in the mood for prime rib now. Unfortunately all I have to look forward to is the baloney sandwich I brought for lunch.

My parents had been there on a previous trip and raved about the prime rib. They were not wrong.

If you close your eyes and imagine prime rib while you bite into the baloney sandwich, you will transform it into a disappointing baloney sandwich.

Pretty much how I felt too. I thought it looked good online. But really impressive in person. Choosing between that and Wishes is like picking between your children. You just can't.
Very good photos too. I lucked into a couple OK ones, but I really lack any natural talent for nighttime photography.

I have to admit, I kind of roll my eyes when people start saying they like the "story" of Wishes or HEA or whatever show better. There really isn't a "story". It's Disney songs and clips strung together with fireworks. So my enjoyment of them mostly is tied to the amount and variety of pyrotechnics involved.

For the photos, we've tried for years with the good camera and always been disappointed with the results. These were taken with our phones, with no adjustments whatsoever. Go figure.

Yep, definitely the best strategy for a big group.

It's just hard to keep everyone happy all the time.

Similar to my trip. Crowds my family can manage OK. Heat we didn't do so well in. But like you we'll be slaves to the school calendar for a while. I would rather July/August heat over March break/Easter holiday crowds.

I agree there. Someday I'll get to go in September again. I loved that.

Sounds like a good plan. As much as I would love to go every year, it's just not something I can manage financially.

I think it's a good thing. For one thing, variety is good. And it keeps the novelty and magic alive.

Wow! There's one thing you can't change, and that's change. It's going to happen. My oldest DD has been driving 2 1/2 years now and I'm still not really used to it.
Speaking of that, I wonder what my next trip will be like, if I have a 22-23 year old DD. Would she even come with us? That would be different. Change....

My oldest son will start driving next year. I can't wait to see the insurance bill!

When Julie and I went to Disney by ourselves a few years ago, we justified it by telling our kids: someday you will meet someone you really like, and you will want to go to Disney with that person by yourself, too. Without your annoying parents going along. It's coming.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Isn't this the only reason Disney trips end?

It's the reason any of my vacations end!

Oh no. No no. I would be so hangry.

Actually last Sunday I got tired of waiting at the breakfast place we'd picked (it had been 45 minutes) and deliberately chose a cafeteria because at least then I knew I wouldn't have to wait for my food.

Waiting is bad enough. Waiting when you're hungry is the worst.

You know, I felt this way too. But Joe and I had dinner in here and it's actually a very nice atmosphere when it's not jammed full of people.

I thought it was meh. My least favorite of the three dining rooms.

I think I may have actually teared up a little bit the first time I ever walked in. I truly felt as if I'd stepped right into the movie.

They really did an amazing job with it.

There are never enough rides on the Peoplemover.

I also think it's an underrated attraction.

I think it must be a mom thing, as most photos with my mother look identical. She finally just started keeping her sunglasses on.

I've never understood what is so hard about it!

We stayed there a couple of years ago because it was the only resort that still had points availability when we were looking. And our consensus was absolutely never again. We hated it! To be fair, we were just there for a long weekend, but we were not fans of the loooooooooong walk we had from the main building to our room, and the room itself just felt.....fuddy-duddy. Joe literally calls it "The Old Person Resort."

That being said, we only ate at the QS restaurant, so maybe we could be convinced to try dinner there.

Yeah, I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the theme there. It's not as exotic and transporting as some of the others. That dinner was good, though!

Prime rib. *shudder* I tend to eat my steak medium. I like a little pink. About two weeks after we'd told our parents I was pregnant, my in-laws invited us over for dinner. My MIL was cooking prime rib. Joe and I are sitting in the living room and I hear her pull it out of the oven and exclaim "Oh, 125 degrees. Perfect!"

For those of you who may not know, generally beef is cooked anywhere from 145-160 degrees to be considered "safe." Prime rib can go a little under as it is supposed to be on the rarer side. But I heard her say that and looked at Joe with this panicked look on my face. We sit down at the table and this huge chunk of meat is just sitting there bleeding. I think I may have heard it moo in protest when we cut into it. It was the first time in my pregnancy that I lied about being nauseous, just so I had an excuse not to eat.

I usually eat mine medium as well. I don't care for it still mooing and/or bleeding.

I avoided all streams/videos/hints about HEA when it first came out. I didn't want anything to spoil the first time I saw it in person, which would be on our honeymoon. The first night we watched it....it was pouring down rain. And I thought it was nice, but we actually were too close to the castle to fully appreciate the projections. So a couple of nights later, we went back. And I bawled my eyes out. There was something incredibly special to me about the theme of the show and the narration telling you to "find your happily ever after" when I felt like that's just what I'd done and mine was standing next to me. I still cry thinking about it (though that could also be hormones).

Funnily enough, on our most recent trip, I only really had baby-hormonal moments at the end of Fantasmic, and watching Feast. HEA I got through fine. We'll see what happens in May....

Awwww...and here I was just wanting them to blow up more stuff.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your TR! You seem like such a nice family and I enjoy your writing style. Reading about large groups makes me feel anxious just reading about it If we were ever to do it again, just meeting up for some meals and special events would work best for us too. The Disney greed is real. And the crowds. I think they've figured out some people will pay even more to try and avoid the crowds. But, that being said, I'm counting the days until we go back. Thanks for sharing and I'm interested in hearing what your next adventure is!

Yeah, the ticketed events are becoming more and more prevalent. I just read that they're going to start charging for deliveries through bell services, too. It just doesn't stop!

Thanks for joining in and reading along! Hope your next Disney trip is a great one.

All legit reasons. I've been once. That was enough for a while. I'd go back for sure for theming, but the food was very average and the ordering process a nightmare.

I think one and done fits it. The food isn't special enough to keep going back.

Super boring room. Reminded me of a cafeteria with a pseudoanimatronic thrown in.

Pretty much. It was by far my least favorite of the three dining rooms.

You thought it was Pommes Frites that explained the upcharge. It was reallly the fancy bamboo toothpicks.

That was probably another $20!

I have NEVER noticed that bridge!! At least this view of it.

I think I took that one from the bridge leading to BOG.

I can see why! Nice photo!

Thanks! I was thrilled he was having so much fun.

Much better, but less humorous.

In other words: boring.

Okay, that's cool!!!! Did you find it on your own or did you read about that or ???

I had read about it somewhere, but didn't know where to look. One of the kids spotted it while waiting in line.

OH, I didn't know you did that! We met them on our last trip too, and I sure hope I can again someday.

Yeah, it was great to see them again!

I can see why you'd not want to be apart on this day. I agree, best to end a family trip together.

That was our feeling as well. Or at least it was Julie's.

Those lightpoles are the bane of my photography existence.

It's hard to avoid them!

Except when you're on Buzz, Mr. Galactica.

That's Galactic Hero.

My fave. You just really can't have too many fireworks photos.

I really thought the phones did a great job on the photos. I was surprised.

Of course you do!

It needs to happen!

I'll be here! Thanks for sharing your amazing Disney trip, Mark. You had loads of fun and plenty of learning experiences and I am excited for the next adventure you share.

Thanks for joining in again, Liesa! We're almost into single digits before we leave now!

 

[lauraleh]

This was a fun read! I'm glad you had a fun trip with your cute family! We are also a family of 6 (kids ages 8, 5, 2.5 and 7 months) and I love hearing about how you tackle WDW as a larger family. We are excited for the day when we will take up the entire car at Test Track.

 

[pkondz]

I'm sure he has problems of his own. Can't imagine what they may be, but still.

Oh, they're actually really bad. Poor guy can't even go to the bathroom without tripping over piles of money. It's really quite tragic.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better!

Oh, yeah!

I wonder how many times that's been said over the years.

If Disney had a nickel for everytime someone said that... there'd be half a dozen Disney parks.


Wait...

You mean, over the fact that we could have been in a better room if we'd simply been able to enter on time? Me? Nah, why would I find that annoying?

Exactly!

I knew it! This language stuff is easy.

Sure! It's all the same.
Deja vu
Croissant
Cul de sac
Deja vu

It's not the most obnoxious behavior I've ever seen.

But it's close, right?

After all the ups and downs of his ride experiences, seeing that big smile really made me glad.

Frameable.

I had read about it, but wasn't sure where to look. I think one of the kids spotted it while we were waiting in line.

Ah. Never even heard of it.

Great photo!!

Oh, like that's an excuse.

I mean, how can you not get excited over steak?

Right???

Sub out the white chocolate and liquor for peanut butter...and it's way better!

I may shock you... but I can see myself liking it more, too.

To which I say, "You're in Disney World. Get used to it."

Pretty much

Yeah, and we had purposely saved it for the end. So I would have been kicking myself for not going earlier in the week.

Man! You would've been in the dog house!

I mean... more than usual.

We all like to think he would have stopped the nickel-and-diming that goes on. But I don't know.

Perhaps. Maybe he wouldn't have felt quite the need to make more and more and more money.

All grown up now. Currently we're trying to figure out the college application process. We have no idea what we're doing.

Good luck!

Thank you, and I really appreciate that, @pkondz . I'm thankful for you and everyone who stops by and leaves comments. It's been a lot of fun to get to know the DIS community over the years.

 

[franandaj]

We’d grabbed a lunch ADR here for a few reasons:

1) It was one of the few places where our families could agree on a meal;

2) My kids hadn’t been inside yet and wanted to see the theming;

3) My brother’s daughter is a huge princess fan and couldn’t wait to see Beast’s castle; and

4) It’s a lot easier (and cheaper) to get a lunch ADR than dinner here.

All good solid reasons!

We found a Photopass station and went for another loving, adorable family photo. But it was hot, and we were hungry and thirsty, and Captain Crankypants was back.

On the other hand, these photos will never not be funny.

You are absolutely right there!

Finally, about 15 minutes late, my brother’s family sauntered up without a care in the world. “Hey guys, ready for lunch?”

He sounds like someone who really doesn't seem to care much about other folks.

Last time I was here, I’d had the “Croque Monsieur”, which is French for “hot ham and cheese sammich”.

Well technically you're close. A true Croque Monsieur has Bechamel sauce on top, or in American, "Cheesy White Sauce."

In other words, this is a roast beef sammie “with with juice” and fries.

On this, you are spot on.

And it was a perfectly decent lunch. I haven’t had dinner at Be Our Guest, but my sense is that you eat here more for the atmosphere than the food.

That's pretty much it. I've had both lunch and dinner, and I'm good. There are plenty of other places I'd be happy to eat at!

My family seemed to agree. They were glad they’d been able to try it, but wouldn’t feel the need to come back on every trip.

I could even remove the "on every trip" from that sentence.

I don’t know if you can zoom in on this photo or not, but it’s my favorite ride photo of the whole week. This one captured the pure, unbridled joy we hope to find when we visit Disney World.

Nice. Sheer happiness.

He was even willing to participate in a family photo this time around.

While not as funny, it is a good photo.

We rode a bus to the Saratoga Springs resort, where we had an ADR for the Turf Club. We’d never been here before but had heard a lot of good things about it as one of the “hidden gems” among Disney restaurants.

I've heard that too, and if you like dead cow, its awesome!

Julie doesn’t go wild for steak (she’s weird)

That is weird!

But my prime rib was fantastic.

When I ate there nearly 10 years ago, I had a strip steak with a Blue Cheese sauce, it doesn't seem to be on the menu. I would go back for the Prime Rib!

We figured we weren’t getting up early for Rope Drop the next morning—in fact, we were leaving, so all the more reason to sleep in and procrastinate—so it wouldn’t matter if we let everyone stay up late. Better to end our Disney time with a nighttime show.

Sounds like a solid plan.

So I’m happy to report that the show was much, much better in person. As it should be.

I'm glad to hear it. I hope to see it from the hub someday.

It felt like we wasted a good bit of time waiting for others to show when we did have plans together. My own family came away with one shared thought: we would love to have a do-over at Disney World, next time with just the 6 of us!

That's funny! Fran and I came away from our trip with my parents with the exact same feeling, only we want to do it with just the two of us!

Thanks for following along and putting up with my terrible jokes! I appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to read and comment. It would be no fun if I was here all by myself!

I was sad to read that this TR is over. I was hoping to hear about how you all made it home without killing each other!

Coming Up Next: I’ll fill you in on our next adventure. Maybe it’ll be a bonus feature in this TR, if you’re interested.

Sure! I would love to hear about your Spring Break trip!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

As always, thanks for sharing your adventures with us. Can't wait to see where the next one is. Those fireworks photos are amazing! I really hear ya on Disney becoming unaffordable. Have you ever considered staying offsite? When we did our last "big" trip before we became FL residents, we went in August (never again - killer heat) and stayed in a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom house with a pool for about the same price for the week that we paid for 2 nights at Portofino at Universal . I know you lose the benefits of being on site but having a full kitchen, multiple rooms and the ability to save on some meals was worth it. And it was just outside of the property, probably about 8 minutes to Disney property. I forget exactly where we entered property but it was near some sort of costuming building or something for AK. We actually snagged a FW campsite reservation for October but we'll be staying away from the parks, lol. With Star Wars being open by then, I have no desire to stand in line for 8 hours for 1 ride.

Thanks for reading!

We haven't really considered staying offsite seriously. I know we can definitely save money and have bigger/nicer accommodations for what we pay if we do go offsite. If we went more often, I think we would definitely consider it and likely even try it. But since it's usually a span of a few years between visits, when we go, we tend to want to fully dive into the Disney magic. And we really like the Disney resorts. So we pay the freight for them (usually after finding a discount). If they continue the nickel-and-diming, maybe we'll reconsider that. But right now, that's our thought process.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I really enjoyed your trip report. Thanks for sharing!

And thank you for reading it!

I've been reading along but haven't posted in a while. No excuse other than work and, well, life. As always, I've enjoyed each and every story, bad joke...err.... I mean joke, and picture. Looking forward to your next adventure!

No problem, I've been busy enough that I barely have time for updates, let alone reading and commenting on TR's. It takes time to come up with all of these terrible jokes!

This was a fun read! I'm glad you had a fun trip with your cute family! We are also a family of 6 (kids ages 8, 5, 2.5 and 7 months) and I love hearing about how you tackle WDW as a larger family. We are excited for the day when we will take up the entire car at Test Track.

Thanks for reading! I gotta say, having a car to ourselves was pretty cool. Except for the ride photo.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Oh, they're actually really bad. Poor guy can't even go to the bathroom without tripping over piles of money. It's really quite tragic.

That's horrifying! I hope he can recover.

If Disney had a nickel for everytime someone said that... there'd be half a dozen Disney parks.


Wait...

I bet they're holding out on us!

Sure! It's all the same.
Deja vu
Croissant
Cul de sac
Deja vu

I see what you did there.

But it's close, right?

Not even!

Great photo!!

It was fun trying to get that one to turn out right.

I may shock you... but I can see myself liking it more, too.

Man! You would've been in the dog house!

I mean... more than usual.

Well, we've already been over the scoring system. I'm never getting out.

Perhaps. Maybe he wouldn't have felt quite the need to make more and more and more money.

From what I've read, he often came close to bankrupting the company. His brother had to reign him in.

All good solid reasons!

I'm glad you approve!

He sounds like someone who really doesn't seem to care much about other folks.

Maybe different priorities. I like being on time. Early, even. He's never cared about that.

Well technically you're close. A true Croque Monsieur has Bechamel sauce on top, or in American, "Cheesy White Sauce."

Thanks for explaining it!

On this, you are spot on.

Who says I'm not a gourmet?

That's pretty much it. I've had both lunch and dinner, and I'm good. There are plenty of other places I'd be happy to eat at!

Yeah, it's not on my list of favorite Disney restaurants, for sure.

I could even remove the "on every trip" from that sentence.

I think I agree with you.

While not as funny, it is a good photo.

I prefer the funny ones.

I've heard that too, and if you like dead cow, its awesome!

Hey, I fit in that category!

That is weird!

I knew it.

When I ate there nearly 10 years ago, I had a strip steak with a Blue Cheese sauce, it doesn't seem to be on the menu. I would go back for the Prime Rib!

It's worth the trip!

I'm glad to hear it. I hope to see it from the hub someday.

Me too.

That's funny! Fran and I came away from our trip with my parents with the exact same feeling, only we want to do it with just the two of us!

It must be a universal thing with families!

I was sad to read that this TR is over. I was hoping to hear about how you all made it home without killing each other!

I didn't bother including the trip home because it was pretty boring. We took two days to drive back, stopping in Fayetteville, NC on the way. There was really nothing worth writing about.

Sure! I would love to hear about your Spring Break trip!

We're getting close now!

 

[pkondz]

That's horrifying! I hope he can recover.

Doctors and accountants aren't sure.

Well, we've already been over the scoring system. I'm never getting out.

This is true...

From what I've read, he often came close to bankrupting the company. His brother had to reign him in.

Maybe a better balance would've been struck.

Maybe different priorities. I like being on time. Early, even. He's never cared about that.

I feel the same. Early always. Late, never if it can be avoided. (Although Washington beltway traffic... yeah...)

 

[jedijill]

It's been so fun seeing Drew experience his first WDW trip! And congrats on your impressive Buzz score!

Jill in CO

 

[FantasiaMagic]

I really enjoyed this TR! I applaud you for planning a trip with so many family members. I appreciated hearing your honest experience about the experience. It seems like while it could be fun sharing fun and memories with that many people, it could also be stressful and frustrating!

I'm looking forward to hearing about your future adventures!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I feel the same. Early always. Late, never if it can be avoided. (Although Washington beltway traffic... yeah...)

There is no early with the Washington Beltway. There is only survival.

It's been so fun seeing Drew experience his first WDW trip! And congrats on your impressive Buzz score!

Hey, thanks! All in all, I think we created another Disney fan.

I really enjoyed this TR! I applaud you for planning a trip with so many family members. I appreciated hearing your honest experience about the experience. It seems like while it could be fun sharing fun and memories with that many people, it could also be stressful and frustrating!

I'm looking forward to hearing about your future adventures!

There will be ups and downs with anything you do. I'm not sure man was meant to spend an entire week with 13 people attempting to do the same things!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Our Next Adventure

...is coming up fast! Spring break is extremely late this year, due to Easter also being late. That made for a long winter, so we're all anxious to get out and do something fun.

Most of you know that our family has been working hard to reach all 50 states. Why? Because...it gave us something to do. And there's a lot of cool stuff to see beyond our Xbox. We've reached 47 out of 50 thus far (with Oregon, Washington, and Alaska to go) and after taking a break from our quest for Disney World this past year, we're ready to get back on the horse.

Naturally, we'll be spending spring break in a state we've already visited.

Well, we may already have been to California, but it's a big state. And we really only saw Disneyland (and Joshua Tree National Park, but the less said about that, the better). We haven't seen Northern California at all, and thus there are some sizable holes in our resume when it comes to the tourist hotspots of the United States. So we'll be trying to fill some of those holes over a week as we visit San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, and points in between.

The main reason for attempting this trip over spring break is that I've heard summer crowds in Yosemite can be overwhelming. Plus, the waterfalls there do not flow all year long, and I've read that spring is the best time to see them because the snow is still melting at higher elevations, so the flow will be at its peak.

Unfortunately, the downside is that not all of the snow has melted yet, so many of the roads through the higher elevations are still closed. This includes the road to Glacier Point, one of the most scenic viewpoints. Way back when, Julie and I had actually planned to try for Yosemite this year when we'd seen how unusually late our spring break would be. We thought that was our best chance to see both waterfalls and Glacier Point. If you look at the history of when the road to Glacier Point opens, we had roughly a 50/50 shot based on the last several years.

Sadly, the weather chose not to cooperate, and California had record snowfall this year. So the odds are not good that the road will be open. I guess we'll just have to go back someday.

Anyway, here is my Poor Man's Pre-Trip Report on California.

Day 1: Get up at the butt crack of dawn to catch our cheap flight. Arrive in Oakland around noon local time. Attractions: Golden Gate Bridge, Walt Disney Family Museum.

Day 2: Visiting Alcatraz Island, Oracle Park stadium tour (home of SF Giants). Hopefully a cable car ride in there, too. Spending the night in Santa Cruz.

Day 3: A drive around the Monterey Peninsula on 17-Mile Drive. Then onward to Pinnacles National Park. Lodging in Tulare, CA.

Day 4: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in the morning. Arriving in Yosemite by late afternoon.

Day 5: Yosemite National Park.

Day 6: Maybe a hike in Hetch Hetchy (one of the great all-time names) in the morning, then drive up to Lake Tahoe. Visiting family in Truckee, CA.

Day 7: Drive back to San Francisco. Stop at Muir Woods National Monument.

Day 8: Home. Crash.

Day 9: Unpack, do laundry, grieve over facing the real world again. Also, go see Avengers: Endgame. Anyone spoiling it for us will be met with severe punishment.

There you have it: our spring break adventure! We will be visiting Oregon and Washington state over the summer.

 

[jedijill]

Sounds like a great trip! Make sure you have reservations for Muir Woods ahead of time. Also, check out the Yoda Fountain at ILM in the Presidio...not far (driving) from the Disney Family Museum.

Jill in CO

 

[Flossbolna]

We did this itinerary over the course of more than two weeks and felt rushed!!! Lots and lots of driving! Have an amazing trip!

 

[WDW2012]

Sounds like a great trip. Have fun! Can't wait to read about your adventures. We already have our Endgame tickets for the Thursday night showing 7:15 pm, 2nd row seats. Ugh. It was all I could get but my 15 yo son would not stand for waiting until the next day

 

[pkondz]

There is no early with the Washington Beltway. There is only survival.

I survived!!! Where's my pin?

Most of you know that our family has been working hard to reach all 50 states. Why? Because...it gave us something to do.

A worthwhile goal.
George Mallory said "Because it's there".*


*Yeah, okay, he died trying to conquer his "because it's there"... but... still...

(and Joshua Tree National Park, but the less said about that, the better).

Plus, the waterfalls there do not flow all year long, and I've read that spring is the best time to see them because the snow is still melting at higher elevations, so the flow will be at its peak.

Ah! Smart!

Sadly, the weather chose not to cooperate, and California had record snowfall this year. So the odds are not good that the road will be open.

Well... poop.

Walt Disney Family Museum.

I remember @Steppesister 's glowing review.

Oracle Park stadium tour (home of SF Giants). Hopefully a cable car ride in there, too.

Wow! Must be a big stadium.


Trip sounds great!

Day 8: Home. Crash.