They Should Really Put a Bar in Here - Closing Thoughts - 4/1

[eandesmom]

Yay for sledding! I don't think the E's will get any this year. It is possible we will still get another snow, it can be into mid April, but it's unlikely.

Fun!

 

[khertz]

Aww, sledding looks so fun! My little Louisiana boy will never get to do that, I'm sure. Unless we drive up to your house and try it out in the middle of the night...

Seriously though, that is so strange that people do that? I would be so creeped out by that!

 

[afwdwfan]

Yay for sledding! I don't think the E's will get any this year. It is possible we will still get another snow, it can be into mid April, but it's unlikely.

Fun!

Well, a late March snow is highly unlikely for us, so never say never.

Last March was uncharicteristically warm, so this is pretty much a polar opposite. Last year we were in the 70's and 80's, this year, we're getting snow.

Aww, sledding looks so fun! My little Louisiana boy will never get to do that, I'm sure. Unless we drive up to your house and try it out in the middle of the night...

Seriously though, that is so strange that people do that? I would be so creeped out by that!

Bring him on up, you wouldn't be the only ones.

You know, it is a rural community and the farm I bought was owned by the same family for about 150 years. In fact if you look on satellite maps, the hill is actually named after their family name. Over the years, it was mostly people who were from the area/grew up around there and they knew the family and were always welcome to come over any time. This continued as the oldest sister in that family was in her later years. She just requested that people either stop by or call to let her know they're coming. The last 5 years of her life she was away from the farm and in the nursing home and it just kind of became a free for all.

I really don't mind if friends and neighbors show up and they all know they have an open invitation any time. It does get a little annoying when there are people who I don't even know out there. I've had strangers stop by the house and ask to sled and I always tell them the're welcome to after I make sure to tell them no snowmobiles, no vehicles on the hill and be gone by dusk. It does kind of irritate me when there are people I don't even know just showing up. The fences around the pasture area have been gone for probably 20 years, but I've put some serious consideration into rebuilding them. I'd like to get back into raising cattle and turning a bull loose on the hill when I don't want people out there might be a good deterrent.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Glad you and DS were able to get out for a little sledding after all. Now spring can arrive, anytime.

Cross country skiing sounds like too much work for me. I'm sorry you didn't get the opportunity to do it this year though.

I remember my geometry teacher in high school teaching us about the slope of a line. She said to think of it as a ski slope. Positive means you're gaining altitude, negative means you're going downhill. A vertical line has no slope because it's impossible to ski--everyone dies. And a horizontal line has a slope of zero--like cross country skiing, it's zero fun.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

…The fences around the pasture area have been gone for probably 20 years, but I've put some serious consideration into rebuilding them. I'd like to get back into raising cattle and turning a bull loose on the hill when I don't want people out there might be a good deterrent.

Yes… yes it would.




Unless they’re idiots.

Then a video camera would be in order…
along with a quick link for uploading the results to AFV.

 

[My sister's princess]

Great closing!!! Can you go back soon so I can see more photos of your adorable children? K thanks


Really though, thank you for sharing!

 

[afwdwfan]

Glad you and DS were able to get out for a little sledding after all. Now spring can arrive, anytime.

Yeah, I'm ready. This time last year we'd had some 80 degree days and had a lot of field work done getting ready to plant corn.

I remember my geometry teacher in high school teaching us about the slope of a line. She said to think of it as a ski slope. Positive means you're gaining altitude, negative means you're going downhill. A vertical line has no slope because it's impossible to ski--everyone dies. And a horizontal line has a slope of zero--like cross country skiing, it's zero fun.

Yes… yes it would.




Unless they’re idiots.

Then a video camera would be in order…
along with a quick link for uploading the results to AFV.

I like the way you think! I've thought about using one of those motion activated game cameras out there to catch the ones I don't see coming in at night, but this might be an even better use for that camera.

Great closing!!! Can you go back soon so I can see more photos of your adorable children? K thanks

Sure. Convince my wife.

Really though, thank you for sharing!

Thanks for reading along!

 

[afwdwfan]

Closing Thoughts

Ok, I've finally gotten around to composing some closing thoughts I've had from our trip. Before I get to them, I'd like to thank everyone for reading along. Whether you've been posting or just lurking, thanks for taking the time and interest to read what I've had to say. If you are just lurking, don't be afraid to say hi.

We really did have an awesome trip and for the most part, everyone had a lot of fun. There were setbacks and disappointments, but that comes with the territory. As with any trip to Disney World, the positives definitely outweighed the negatives and I know we all made memories that will last forever. With that, here are a few random thoughts that I want to comment on.

ADR's: I love them and I hate them. It is fun to be planning the trip 6+ months out, but I hate having to lock in ADR's so far out, especially for a group as large as ours. We had a few changes that we wanted to make and it just became nearly impossible to do anything. Sure, I could have kept checking and trying to get it done even a day or 2 before, but by that time I was already on vacation and ADR stalking wasn't something I wanted to have to deal with. I just really hope this new Fast Pass system doesn't suck the fun out of planning the way locking in ADR's can sometimes.

Traveling with Extended Family: It isn't always a disaster. Truthfully, we take a trip with my wife's family about every 2 years to Gatlinburg and since 2008, we've been going to WDW with my family every 4 years. I hope these patterns continue, because we really do have a great time on all of these trips. And everyone tends to get along really well and enjoy a lot of the same things, so I'm sure that helps exponentially.

The New Fantasyland: I'll be honest. When this project was first announced, I wasn't excited. I wanted to see the next big expensive project to be a new thrill ride or something epic to add to the experience at DHS or AK. A new Fantasyland dark ride and a restaurant didn't exactly excite me. Especially when it was coming at the expense of Toon Town.
Having been there to experience the new Fantasyland first hand, it restores my faith and hope for the future of Disney imagineering. They did an excellent job and now that I've seen the (partially) finished product, I love it. I really hope that Iger will come around to the idea of putting more capital towards new attractions in the park, because even though every year that passes is one year farther removed from Walt Disney, the imagineers still seem to have that ability to channel his creativity and make an experience that just captivates everyone.

And as they say the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Be Our Guest might have played a significant role in my change in attitude.

Pushing a Double Stroller: Kind of a play on the first PTR I wrote titled "I'll Never go to Disney World Pushing a Stroller." I always remember going to Disney World and seeing those poor suckers trying to get through the crowds with a stroller and dealing with whiny kids. I always thought there's no way they could be having fun and their kids are too young to enjoy it anyway. Since that experience, I've been an advocate of taking younger kids. Anytime a friend mentions going to WDW in a few years, I always point out the fact that they can save a lot of money by going before the child is 3. I love the fact that this time DS was a month away from being 3 so he really took it all in and had a blast... and didn't cost us a dime! Now having that second one around... well that made it a little more complicated. I'm glad that we had some extra hands to help us out. Dad not being able to or wanting to ride most rides was a huge help to let the rest of us get a lot done, but I really do feel bad that he spent so much time sitting over in the shade somewhere. I know he loved the time with the grandkids, but I really feel like he was missing out to a degree.

Pop Warner: Obviously this was one of the biggest negatives on this trip. As many have said, they aren't bad in the parks. If you plan a trip during Pop Warner week, don't be discouraged at all. However, if you're booked at a resort and a month or 2 before your trip, it is announced as a host resort for Pop Warner... RUN!!!!

Don't ask questions, just book a different resort. You'll thank me later.

Food Allergies: As I discussed earlier, this was a huge disappointment for us. Disney has a reputation for being so good with food allergies, but it is clear that there is something lacking with the way they handle it at quick service places. It was bad enough that Sis missed a couple of days in the parks and MVMCP, but it could have been much worse. I appreciate the reply from DIsney and the fact that they give Sis and BiL a ticket to use later, but then again, they got two 1 day tickets to make up for 2 park days she missed, an MVMCP they both missed, and several meals that didn't get used on the days she was sick. That said, we weren't asking for anything back from Disney, but hopefully they'll at least take action to make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen in the future. That was our biggest concern.

All of the Diser's: I want to thank all of you who have shared ideas with me over the past couple of years, either by replying to my PTR/TR's or by sharing new ideas with me in yours. I've learned a lot of neat tricks and ideas on these boards and it is the little tips and tricks that really help to make the trip a little bit better. I've seen and done some new things that I'd never thought of because of all of you. Thank you!







And as for our next trip...

Well after a little further consideration we won't be going to Disney World in 2013. We looked at a week in June when DW's sister will be there, but it just didn't work out really well. We liked some of the discounts available during that week and I have to admit, I was really, really excited about the idea of going during Star Wars weekends. In the end though, June isn't a great time to go since spring planting could potentially run that late for us. And right now it isn't exactly shaping up to be an early or even on time spring. We had considered going back in December again this year too, but in the end we decided to just wait until 2014.

When we sat down and priced everything out and started talking about it we made this decision for a few reasons.

1. DS was 36" at the time of this trip. Right now he is 37" and we will have to pay for his tickets. We really want him to be able to do more things if we're going to have to buy a ticket for him. If we do Nov/Dec 2014, he'll be almost 5. Hopefully he'll be tall enough to ride a few more rides and old enough to get more out of the experience. Also, DD will be 2 1/2, so she'll still be "free" and hopefully will be into it the way DS was this time.

2. We can do our beach trip for just a little bit cheaper than Disney. With the year we had on the farm last year, saving some money, even if a marginal amount is a good thing. We're also going to buy a few Disney gift cards over the course of the next year and a half or so to go towards our next trip.

3. The week that was being considered for our beach trip coincides with a weekend that the Reds will be playing in Atlanta. So if DW gets her beach, I get to make a slight detour on the way to see my Reds play in another ball park.

So with that all said, we're planning a July trip to Panama City Beach. We'll be driving with a detour through Atlanta for a baseball game and enjoy a few days on the beach at the hotel that DW and I went to for our honeymoon in 2008.




Again, thanks to everyone for reading along, and I do plan to stay around these boards, even though it doesn't look like we're going back for quite a while. I hope to stay in touch with everyone through your TR's/PTR's. For those of you who send a PM when you start one, I appreciate it, if you don't send one, don't be afraid to. I'm sometimes a little slow to leave my list of subscribed threads and see what new ones have been started.

 

[khertz]

Great wrap up! You are so spot on with taking younger kids. When we went on our big trip in 2009 before having DS, it was supposed to be a big blowout trip because we wouldn't be back until our kids were older and "could appreciate WDW." Boy, am I glad we changed our mind on that! Taking DS has been so much more fun than I ever could have imagined! I'm sure with 2 kids it was a little more challenging, but you and DW seemed to handle it just fine. I guess we are both now proud members of the Stroller Brigade!

Bummer you will be missing out on Disney this year, but all the more reason to get even more excited for 2014! Then I can live vicariously through you since we won't be visiting that year.

Anyway, really enjoyed this TR! I loved seeing your DS experience things differently now that he is a little older, and of course, seeing DD experience them for the first time! What a special thing, to be able to share those magic moments with our kiddos!

 

[jedijill]

Really enjoyed your report and am excited that you will be going back in 2014. You have very sound reasons and Snow White's Mine Train will be open by then!

Jill in CO

 

[eandesmom]

Great wrap up! I think waiting till DS is taller, since you have to buy a ticket but before DD needs one sounds like a great plan and in the meantime, a beach vacation sounds wonderful.

Such a bummer about CS and the allergies, I am glad they did something but nothing really replaces lost vacation days.

Thanks for the great TR!

 

[afwdwfan]

Great wrap up! You are so spot on with taking younger kids. When we went on our big trip in 2009 before having DS, it was supposed to be a big blowout trip because we wouldn't be back until our kids were older and "could appreciate WDW." Boy, am I glad we changed our mind on that! Taking DS has been so much more fun than I ever could have imagined! I'm sure with 2 kids it was a little more challenging, but you and DW seemed to handle it just fine. I guess we are both now proud members of the Stroller Brigade!

The Stroller Brigade... I like it! Is there a gang sign for that or anything?

Bummer you will be missing out on Disney this year, but all the more reason to get even more excited for 2014! Then I can live vicariously through you since we won't be visiting that year.

Well, I guess we'll just have to trade off then.

Anyway, really enjoyed this TR! I loved seeing your DS experience things differently now that he is a little older, and of course, seeing DD experience them for the first time! What a special thing, to be able to share those magic moments with our kiddos!

Yeah, it really is great to see them get into it and enjoy the experiences.

Really enjoyed your report and am excited that you will be going back in 2014. You have very sound reasons and Snow White's Mine Train will be open by then!

Jill in CO

Thanks for reading along!

I knew I forgot something in my list of "reasons." The mine train was definitely a small factor that played into the decision.

 

[afwdwfan]

Great wrap up! I think waiting till DS is taller, since you have to buy a ticket but before DD needs one sounds like a great plan and in the meantime, a beach vacation sounds wonderful.

Thanks! I'd really rather get some Disney time in, but it just works out a little bit better this way. I've gone 10 years between Disney trips before, so surely I can survive 24 months this time.

Such a bummer about CS and the allergies, I am glad they did something but nothing really replaces lost vacation days.

I just hope that they put some practices in place to make sure things like that don't happen in the future. There are definitely some procedures that need to be improved.

Thanks for the great TR!

Thanks for reading along!

 

[MEK]

Closing Thoughts


ADR's: I love them and I hate them. It is fun to be planning the trip 6+ months out, but I hate having to lock in ADR's so far out, especially for a group as large as ours. We had a few changes that we wanted to make and it just became nearly impossible to do anything.

I completely understand this. Last June we did the QS dining plan and really alleviated the stress of making and getting to ADRs. The bigger the group the more cumbersome the ADR.

Traveling with Extended Family: It isn't always a disaster.

I also found this out last June, although we had some pretty close calls!

The New Fantasyland: I'll be honest. When this project was first announced, I wasn't excited. I wanted to see the next big expensive project to be a new thrill ride or something epic to add to the experience at DHS or AK. A new Fantasyland dark ride and a restaurant didn't exactly excite me. Especially when it was coming at the expense of Toon Town.
Having been there to experience the new Fantasyland first hand, it restores my faith and hope for the future of Disney imagineering. They did an excellent job

I agree with this too. I think they did a great job. I was a bit of a skeptic myself, my I just kept those thoughts to myself. I can't wait to head back over there this summer.

And as they say the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Be Our Guest might have played a significant role in my change in attitude.

I am really looking forward to my dinner there this summer.

Pushing a Double Stroller: Kind of a play on the first PTR I wrote titled "I'll Never go to Disney World Pushing a Stroller." I always remember going to Disney World and seeing those poor suckers trying to get through the crowds with a stroller and dealing with whiny kids. I always thought there's no way they could be having fun and their kids are too young to enjoy it anyway. Since that experience, I've been an advocate of taking younger kids. Anytime a friend mentions going to WDW in a few years, I always point out the fact that they can save a lot of money by going before the child is 3.

My boys were 6 and 8 the first time we went. I wanted them to be able to walk. I was so wrong because there were so many cool things we missed out on that were tailored to a hunger age. My regret is I didn't take them sooner and I tell all my friends that.

Food Allergies: As I discussed earlier, this was a huge disappointment for us. Disney has a reputation for being so good with food allergies, but it is clear that there is something lacking with the way they handle it at quick service places. It was bad enough that Sis missed a couple of days in the parks and MVMCP, but it could have been much worse. I appreciate the reply from DIsney and the fact that they give Sis and BiL a ticket to use later, but then again, they got two 1 day tickets to make up for 2 park days she missed, an MVMCP they both missed, and several meals that didn't get used on the days she was sick.

I just think its terrible that your sister had to suffer like that. Really a bummer.

And as for our next trip...

We had considered going back in December again this year too, but in the end we decided to just wait until 2014.

I don't blame you for wanting to wait until DS can ride a few more rides.

Loved your TR and the final thoughts. Thanks!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Great wrap up!

And let me point out one more perk you and especially your DS can look forward to for your trip in 2014. Rider Swap!! Thanks to your DD, your DS could go on his favorite coaster or other height restricted rides back to back through the fastpass lanes with a combination of FPs and Rider Swap Pass depending on your travel group size. For our last two trips, we were able to do this since DS was too short for most of the thrill rides. When we had back next year, he should be tall enough to go on most things and we won't be able to take advantage of the RS passes. It's awesome!

 

[Poolrat]

Great Wrap up Andy.

I think you are spot on with taking the young ones, even though mine were 4 and 7 when we made our first trip, I having been telling friends with young ones to go now- they won't regret it.

I totally hear you on the allergies and just when I thik Disney is great with allergies, and get awards for it, there is an experience that makes me wonder.

I emailed about Flower and Garden and was disappointed to receive an email basically to ask when I got there. All I wanted was an ingredient list so I could plan in advance.

Look forward to seeing you around until your next trip!!

 

[Leshaface]

Wonderful closing thoughts

DH also said that he would NEVER go to any Disney park with a stroller. It does look awful when you see so many people struggling to maneuver through crowds. But really it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't run into people trying to quickly cross in front of me or hitting anyones heels. It's definitely not stopping us from returning in the future!

Glad that you have all your trips set up! We're still debating about what we want to do and we should probably figure this out sooner than later.

Will be waiting for your next TR

 

[afwdwfan]

Souvenir Pictures

I meant to include this on my closing thoughts, but I forgot.

Oh well, got some pictures this morning. I don't even remember all the souvenirs we bought, and a lot of them were purchased to be given as Christmas gifts, but we did get a few things for ourselves.

I took a few quick pictures this morning on the way out of the house. Sorry for the poor quality.

I've got a bookcase in my office with a collection of diecast tractors and semis. I got one last year commemorating the Magic Kingdom's 40th anniversary, so I got this one to go along with it.

This is a simple refrigerator magnet, but I got really excited when I found it. It has the old EPCOT logo and a monorail. Really... how much more awesome could a magnet be?

Some plushes that the kids got (Ok, Perry is mine). DD got a small Daisy too, but I couldn't find her.

I never did find any T-shirts I wanted to get. I know DW got a T-shirt and DS got some pajamas, but I couldn't find them. DD happened to be wearing her Disney World pajamas last night so she modeled them for me.

That's all I have. I really meant to write down all the souvenirs we bought and get pictures when we got home, but it just wasn't a high priority at the time. I don't even remember every little thing, but I know we got more stuff than that.

And just as a bonus, here is a picture of DD and DS on Easter, just after church while they were still dressed nice and clean.

 

[afwdwfan]

I completely understand this. Last June we did the QS dining plan and really alleviated the stress of making and getting to ADRs. The bigger the group the more cumbersome the ADR.

It definitely does make it difficult with so many people, but at the same time, when we've got a bigger group, we value those opportunities to sit down and have a meal together. The rest of the time, everyone is kind of free to do as they please, but those ADR's are the times that we're all scheduled to sit down and eat together.

Truthfully, the ADR thing is a thorn in my side, even when planning for just the 4 of us. I just don't like having to know for sure when I want to eat where that far out, and if I change my mind, I may or may not be able to rearrange it.

I also found this out last June, although we had some pretty close calls!

Well, those are bound to happen.

I agree with this too. I think they did a great job. I was a bit of a skeptic myself, my I just kept those thoughts to myself. I can't wait to head back over there this summer.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one. They really stepped up big and did a great job with it though.

I am really looking forward to my dinner there this summer.

It will definitey be a priority when we go back. As good as lunch was, the dinner has got to be a great experience.

My boys were 6 and 8 the first time we went. I wanted them to be able to walk. I was so wrong because there were so many cool things we missed out on that were tailored to a hunger age. My regret is I didn't take them sooner and I tell all my friends that.

I'm glad that I found the Disboards a few years ago and saw so many TR's with toddlers. That factor really helped us decide to do it, and it helped us prepare for the trip. Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd have wanted to try it.

I just think its terrible that your sister had to suffer like that. Really a bummer.

It was by far the worst part of the trip for any of us.

I don't blame you for wanting to wait until DS can ride a few more rides.

I just have a hard time justifying the cost of a ticket for a 3 year old that can't do half the stuff there. They really need to take a look at their child ticket pricing.

Loved your TR and the final thoughts. Thanks!

Thank you for reading along!

Great wrap up!

Thanks!

And let me point out one more perk you and especially your DS can look forward to for your trip in 2014. Rider Swap!! Thanks to your DD, your DS could go on his favorite coaster or other height restricted rides back to back through the fastpass lanes with a combination of FPs and Rider Swap Pass depending on your travel group size. For our last two trips, we were able to do this since DS was too short for most of the thrill rides. When we had back next year, he should be tall enough to go on most things and we won't be able to take advantage of the RS passes. It's awesome!

I've definitely considered that option as well.

Great Wrap up Andy.

Thanks!

I think you are spot on with taking the young ones, even though mine were 4 and 7 when we made our first trip, I having been telling friends with young ones to go now- they won't regret it.

Been there, done that, I agree!

I totally hear you on the allergies and just when I thik Disney is great with allergies, and get awards for it, there is an experience that makes me wonder.

I emailed about Flower and Garden and was disappointed to receive an email basically to ask when I got there. All I wanted was an ingredient list so I could plan in advance.

That's a shame that they wouldn't be more helpful, especially when you were reaching out to them asking for specific information. Seems like they basically just sent some kind of pre-generated response without even taking the time to look at your specific requests.

Wonderful closing thoughts

Thanks!

DH also said that he would NEVER go to any Disney park with a stroller. It does look awful when you see so many people struggling to maneuver through crowds. But really it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't run into people trying to quickly cross in front of me or hitting anyones heels. It's definitely not stopping us from returning in the future!

Well, I didn't run anybody over, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. The thought crossed my mind often.

Glad that you have all your trips set up! We're still debating about what we want to do and we should probably figure this out sooner than later.

Well, you know how things go. That's the plan for now, anyway.

 

[glennbo123]

Very thoughtful, uh Thoughts, in your wrap-up Andy! Great job. My son got to go when he was 2+ also, and I agree with you...we felt like he he took it all in and it was great since he was "free". And like you, I've learned so much from everyone on these boards. DISers are great!

And thanks for the bonus Easter pic.