manchurianbrownbear
<font color=green>Not very concise<br><font color=
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2002
- Messages
- 1,160
Here are several highlights, very few lowlights and some general observations from our recent trip to WDW, October 30 November 6.
Our party consisted of me DW, DS12, DS8, DD7, DD4, FIL, MIL and on the last day of the trip, BIL, SIL and niece, age 2.
We flew into Orlando around 7pm on 10/30 and stayed at the Airport Hawthorne Suites that night. The next morning we took the hotel shuttle back to the airport to get our rental vehicle from Nationals Emerald Aisle. Very smooth!
By 10am we were headed west toward WDW. We made stops at the WDW Character Store at Premium Outlets (found some good, but not great deals) and Publix (for snacks to bring to the parks in fanny packs and some things to eat for breakfast in the room).
We arrived at All-Star Movies around noon and were thrilled to be able to check in early! CMs were handing out Halloween candy to the kids while parents checked in. Very cool! After dropping off our luggage (rooms 902 & 903 in the Buzz Lightyear building we had adjoining rooms with FIL/MIL), we had quick lunch in the food court and picked up four refillable mugs. Its tough to drop $48 for soda, but we probably got our moneys worth, suing them for soda, coffee, hot chocolate, etc And, they make a nice souvenir!
I took the older kids to the pool while DW got the room set up and DD4 took a nap. I want to point out that DD4 only took naps twice during our trip. I dont want to discourage people from letting their kids take naps (you know your kids better than anyone else!), but I dont believe that not taking naps guarantees disaster. On our last trip, after reading several warnings on the DIS about taking naps, we were scared into returning to the room for naps the first couple days. The kids were too wound up, never fell asleep and we missed a couple hours in the parks those days. Anyway
We were dressed for MNSSHP and waiting for a bus by 4:45 and at MK by shortly after 5pm. Thanks DISers for the heads up on getting into the park early! We had bags checked, were given trick or treat bags, rented a stroller and were on Main Street before 5:30. Crowds were very thin and we headed for Fantasyland to hit some slow loaders before getting sent to Tomorrowland between 6pm and 7pm when the party officially started. Im guessing we probably rode seven or eight rides before the 7pm!
I love the music at MNSSHP! Especially Grim Grinning Ghosts on bells. We had our picture taken with about a 15 minute wait at HOP around 7:30.
We stayed until around 11:30 that night and rode almost every ride in MK!
Highlights:
*HM at night. Especially Halloween night!
*DS8 had his picture taken with MN Twins 3b, Corey Koskie, who we ran into in Toontown.
*There were a lot trick or treating stations!
*Crowds were very manageable.
*Our timid DDs were pretty brave about going on most rides.
*Fireworks with the witch flying from the castle, right over our heads on the plaza near TimeKeeper in Tomorrowland.
*I scored 960,000 on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin! It gets harder and harder to impress my kids, but that did it!
Cant think of many lowlights other than a couple false starts on the fireworks. But, as I mentioned earlier, we ended up with a great place to watch.
Our party consisted of me DW, DS12, DS8, DD7, DD4, FIL, MIL and on the last day of the trip, BIL, SIL and niece, age 2.
We flew into Orlando around 7pm on 10/30 and stayed at the Airport Hawthorne Suites that night. The next morning we took the hotel shuttle back to the airport to get our rental vehicle from Nationals Emerald Aisle. Very smooth!
By 10am we were headed west toward WDW. We made stops at the WDW Character Store at Premium Outlets (found some good, but not great deals) and Publix (for snacks to bring to the parks in fanny packs and some things to eat for breakfast in the room).
We arrived at All-Star Movies around noon and were thrilled to be able to check in early! CMs were handing out Halloween candy to the kids while parents checked in. Very cool! After dropping off our luggage (rooms 902 & 903 in the Buzz Lightyear building we had adjoining rooms with FIL/MIL), we had quick lunch in the food court and picked up four refillable mugs. Its tough to drop $48 for soda, but we probably got our moneys worth, suing them for soda, coffee, hot chocolate, etc And, they make a nice souvenir!
I took the older kids to the pool while DW got the room set up and DD4 took a nap. I want to point out that DD4 only took naps twice during our trip. I dont want to discourage people from letting their kids take naps (you know your kids better than anyone else!), but I dont believe that not taking naps guarantees disaster. On our last trip, after reading several warnings on the DIS about taking naps, we were scared into returning to the room for naps the first couple days. The kids were too wound up, never fell asleep and we missed a couple hours in the parks those days. Anyway
We were dressed for MNSSHP and waiting for a bus by 4:45 and at MK by shortly after 5pm. Thanks DISers for the heads up on getting into the park early! We had bags checked, were given trick or treat bags, rented a stroller and were on Main Street before 5:30. Crowds were very thin and we headed for Fantasyland to hit some slow loaders before getting sent to Tomorrowland between 6pm and 7pm when the party officially started. Im guessing we probably rode seven or eight rides before the 7pm!
I love the music at MNSSHP! Especially Grim Grinning Ghosts on bells. We had our picture taken with about a 15 minute wait at HOP around 7:30.
We stayed until around 11:30 that night and rode almost every ride in MK!
Highlights:
*HM at night. Especially Halloween night!
*DS8 had his picture taken with MN Twins 3b, Corey Koskie, who we ran into in Toontown.
*There were a lot trick or treating stations!
*Crowds were very manageable.
*Our timid DDs were pretty brave about going on most rides.
*Fireworks with the witch flying from the castle, right over our heads on the plaza near TimeKeeper in Tomorrowland.
*I scored 960,000 on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin! It gets harder and harder to impress my kids, but that did it!
Cant think of many lowlights other than a couple false starts on the fireworks. But, as I mentioned earlier, we ended up with a great place to watch.
