Doing Disney :) April 1-8, 2017, April TR thread

[lynzi2004]

Hi all! I don't necessarily want to start a full on trip report, but I love reading bits and pieces of other peoples trips so I will do my best to fill in "bits and pieces" of our stay coming up THIS WEEK!

This trip has been in the planning since last April. We brought our two kids then 4 and 2 down for a short stay at the fort and 2 days spent at MK. It was supposed to be the trip when Disney was "magical and the princesses were still real", with plans to spend a full week on vacation then when they were much older and could "remember it." Needless to say, we were quickly hooked and I was on the hunt for when we could make our next trip a reality. Unfortunately, we are a 15 hours drive from the fort and self-employed so finding the time to take off proved challenging. But, we eventually settled on the first week of February. FP and dining reservations were made and we got a big surprise...Baby #3! We ultimately made the decision to cancel as I was super sick and we thought it best to go when everyone felt better. Unfortunately, I lost the baby around 11 weeks, the same time that our trip was originally scheduled...it was a rough time! But we are doing better and are planning on trying again! Not long after all of this happened, I decided that it might put our family in better spirits to get a trip planned again and give us a little something to look forward to. So here we are!

We are planning on driving down leaving from Missouri around 10am central time. We hope to arrive in Orlando around 1-2am and have reservations at a local hotel offsite. We will actually be staying there 2 nights as I couldn't get a tent site for Saturday night. Our first day will be at MK on Saturday and then we will move to Fort Wilderness on Sunday. Hoping for the 1500 loop!

I'm currently in the hurried frenzy to get everything loaded and try to finish up the workday. I have a feeling its going to be a long night! The kids have no idea where we are going, just that we are going on a camping vacation

I will do my best to keep a few updates as the week progresses. I'm not figuring out the picture thing at the moment, but if I can get it to work I will try to post some pics!

 

[snowmedic]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Glad everyone is doing better.

Hoping for the 1500 loop!

It might not happen, but your best chance at getting into the 1500 loop is to be at the Outpost for check-in at 6:00 a.m. and talk to CM. If they say you are in 2000 don't get discouraged, just ask if they have or will have anything in the 1500. You may have to wait until 1 for a site assignment if they do, but that would be your best chance.

 

[robinstrip]

I can't wait to read your report! Sorry for your loss!

 

[Teamubr]

Congrats! This sounds like a great trip. We all know what you mean about getting hooked on the Fort and WDW. My DS was about the age of yours (4) on our first trip. He's 19 now and we will be there in September. Sorry to hear about the baby. There really aren't any words, so I won't try other than to say I've been there.

What part of MO are you from? I live outside St Louis and depending on the potty breaks, we are about 17 hours. Staying in a hotel at 1am is a great plan, especially if you are tent camping.

Check in and tell us about your trip when you can or feel like it.

j

 

[lynzi2004]

I can't wait to read your report! Sorry for your loss!

Thank you! I hope I'm doing this quoting thing right! lol I will runny best to keep it updated! Glad you are following along!

Sorry to hear about your loss. Glad everyone is doing better.


It might not happen, but your best chance at getting into the 1500 loop is to be at the Outpost for check-in at 6:00 a.m. and talk to CM. If they say you are in 2000 don't get discouraged, just ask if they have or will have anything in the 1500. You may have to wait until 1 for a site assignment if they do, but that would be your best chance.

I'm preparing myself for that possibility! I did call the other day and have the loop request added, we will see if it does any good!

Congrats! This sounds like a great trip. We all know what you mean about getting hooked on the Fort and WDW. My DS was about the age of yours (4) on our first trip. He's 19 now and we will be there in September. Sorry to hear about the baby. There really aren't any words, so I won't try other than to say I've been there.

What part of MO are you from? I live outside St Louis and depending on the potty breaks, we are about 17 hours. Staying in a hotel at 1am is a great plan, especially if you are tent camping.

Check in and tell us about your trip when you can or feel like it.

j

We are from right outside the Bootheel. We are both chiropractors so we spent the first few years of our marriage in STL as the chiro school is located in Chesterfield!

 

[lynzi2004]

10:30 and headed to bed. Not too shabby, usually these night before camping trips is closer to 12 or 1am before we find ourselves in bed! We drive a Honda Odyssey and it is loaded to the gills with our stuff. We typically camp in National Parks so no fancy amenities, since we have electricity and water, a fan, keurig, and small refrigerator suddenly become a must! Lol

A little about our setup. We have an REI kingdom 8 tent and absolutely love it! It has saved us in many a rainstorm with 2 small kids being cooped up. We also purchased the garage that attaches which is where I typically put our drying rack and the kids' toys.

We don't use typical car camping air mattresses. It's usually quite cold in the mtns at night when we camp so we have found the thermarest pads with a sleeping bag hold heat much better, although that's not much of a concern this time of year in Florida.
I actually find them more comfortable than the airbeds, but the big airbeds always look so inviting!

We use the easy up over the picnic table and I brought along our propane stove to cook some meals to save money on our slower days. We like to go commando on park days so it will be an adjustment to try and do both on this trip since we have tickets for each day we are there.

That's all for tonight. A couple hours at the office tomorrow and then it will be time to hit the road. We travel I-24 to I-75 so hopefully we will get some pixie dust going through Atlanta. That traffics can be brutal!

 

[lynzi2004]

After my last post, I came across a bridge collapse in Atlanta tonight. It doesn't appear that anyone is hurt but they are saying traffic will be heavily impacted there. A dose of patience is likely going to be in order! And extra snacks for the kids!

 

[peg110]

I'm preparing myself for that possibility! I did call the other day and have the loop request added, we will see if it does any good!

It's good to be prepared.... it's even better to get what you want. Either way, even if you don't get the 1500 loop, you are still at the Fort and WDW, you will have an awesome time.

since we have electricity and water, a fan, keurig, and small refrigerator suddenly become a must! Lol

Priorities... I like it.

 

[North of Mouse]

After my last post, I came across a bridge collapse in Atlanta tonight. It doesn't appear that anyone is hurt but they are saying traffic will be heavily impacted there. A dose of patience is likely going to be in order! And extra snacks for the kids!

We lived near Atlanta for 2 1/2 yrs.when dh was transferred there - they were just building spaghetti junction and even then the traffic was horrendous! We avoid it now like the plague, and yes, this bridge collapse, even though inside the beltway, will make I-285 a parking lot. Best to avoid it, if at all possible!! If you do decide to tackle it, have a full tank of gas, an extra 1-2 hours, and lots of patience. We would not do it now, for sure - weekends are even worse.

Sorry to be so brutally honest - but don't expect pixie dust at this time!! The best of luck and safe journey, and loads of enjoyment at Disney!

 

[Djt227]

I hope you have a great, safe trip! I've been reading along and my trip next month is very similar to yours with the long drive in a Honda Odyssey and our two young kiddos We're also hoping for 1500 loop! Looking forward to seeing how your trip goes! Have fun!

 

[lynzi2004]

We lived near Atlanta for 2 1/2 yrs.when dh was transferred there - they were just building spaghetti junction and even then the traffic was horrendous! We avoid it now like the plague, and yes, this bridge collapse, even though inside the beltway, will make I-285 a parking lot. Best to avoid it, if at all possible!! If you do decide to tackle it, have a full tank of gas, an extra 1-2 hours, and lots of patience. We would not do it now, for sure - weekends are even worse.

Sorry to be so brutally honest - but don't expect pixie dust at this time!! The best of luck and safe journey, and loads of enjoyment at Disney!

Just called an audible...heading to Dothan, AL instead. 30 min in and the kids are quiet! We will see how long that lasts!

 

[Teamubr]

We are from right outside the Bootheel. We are both chiropractors so we spent the first few years of our marriage in STL as the chiro school is located in Chesterfield!

I hope the trip is still going well.

I have a good friend that went to Logan. He was one of my students when I taught A&P and I went to nursing school with his wife. After 15 years of having his own practice (and all the hassle that includes) he had enough of the good life. He's a nurse now with the rest of us. I work down at the giant Mecca called Barnes-Jewish.

I'm not sure how the I-85 bridge is going to impact I-75, but since it is day 1 after the firs, heading through AL is probably the better option.

j

 

[bama_ed]

lynzi,

If you get a chance, tell us how the new security measures that go into effect starting April 3 for the Magic Kingdom affect the Fort and the boat ride over. Security checks have been moved out to the TTC before people board the ferry or monorail for the MK and wondered how the Fort boat would be treated.

There are boats from the Poly, Grand, Fort, and WL that run to the MK so I figure they'll all get the same treatment somehow. Will they screen on the Fort dock or for the boats still do it right there in front of the MK?

Thanks and hope you are having a great time!

Bama Ed

 

[lynzi2004]

Sorry guys! It's been a busy couple days! Our trip down we ended up going through Montogemery, AL due to the road collapse in Atlanta. All was going well until we got behind a semi trailer accident. We went about 4 miles in 2 hours! Instead of getting to Kissimmiee around 1:30 we got here a little after 4am to check in. Not a great start but we tried to remain in good spirits and get a little rest. We woke up around 9am and took our time getting ready and ate breakfast in the room. We ended up getting to the MK around 12:00.

Let me tell you it is HOT this trip! Totally not expecting this for April, although I'm aware it is possible. I guess I just didn't think it would happen to us Despite the heat we stayed in MK all day and did dinner at BOG. it was really good and the kids enjoyed interacting with the Beast. We ended up being on the last 7DMT of the night and walked out of the MK at midnight. A long, but fun exhausting day!

Today (Sunday) we checked into the fort and unfortunately didn't get the 1500 loop. No biggie but it was aggravating bc when we asked them if we could switch they said no because there was a big group coming in. There were plenty of sites for them in 2000 though, even together, so I don't know what the deal was. We set up camp and spent the afternoon at the pool. This evening we went to HS. We waited over 30min for the kids first bus ride, I don't know why it took so long. 4 EpCOT buses came and went during that time!

Headed to AK and EP tomorrow. Will check on the security at MK on Tuesday!

 

[tiggerdad]

Hate you didn't land the 1500 like you wanted, but hey, it's still Disney.

Have fun!

 

[tiggergal15]

Glad you made it safe!

 

[morrik5]

Interesting to hear it's hot, hot there as we are going April 21st next year and now can expect we might just experience close to the August temperatures we lived through on our last visit in 2014. BUT, I hope we don't hit 114 the whole trip again

 

[lynzi2004]

We left today and are headed back home. I will update more about how the trip went when things slow down Monday! Traffic has been horrible today and we didn't make it as far home today as we would have liked. Overall we had a fantastic trip!

Interesting to hear it's hot, hot there as we are going April 21st next year and now can expect we might just experience close to the August temperatures we lived through on our last visit in 2014. BUT, I hope we don't hit 114 the whole trip again

It cooled off considerably after a storm rolled through Thursday. Disney made a fortune off of sweatshirts Thursday night, it was downright cold by the end of of PM EMH as Epcot. It went from mid-90s and humid on Wednesday to highs in the low 70s and breezy by mid-day Thursday and into the 50s at night. Perfect camping weather!

 

[amcc]

It's a good day to be checking into the Fort!!!

 

[peg110]

I wish I could be checking in today!

Enjoy!