Honey lets take the kids out of school - First December visit 2021, and last Disney trip.

[tehSAC]

Can't wait to read more! Sounds like you were trying your hardest to help everyone enjoy their trip, what a good dad!!
Love the pics!
Dawn

Thank you! I wish there was more to add, but this is the end of my report.

Thank you for your trip report. I love how you have been able to roll with it and adapt after a speed bump (and still be papa bear protecting your family). Not everyone can do so with grace - you have a gift.

After reading these boards, I agree with you about the lack of value. My family has been 3 times (in 2009, 2013, and 2014) and after the last trip with FPP, we decided we were done due to all the hassles.

We've done two-week camping adventures since the youngest was 3 (potty trained him at Yosemite) and some of our great memories are of reading the Narnia books by the fire as more and more kids crept over from neighboring sites to listen.

We have since enjoyed UO a few times. Then, in 2019, we went to Portugal over spring break with good airfares and a reasonably priced VRBO condo with an awesome rooftop terrace and I was THROUGH with theme parks. There was so much to do and see for less than what we would have spent at WDW. We have focused on independent travel with the kids since.

Our last trip, 12/18/21 to 1/1/22 was to Maui. Two weeks, OMG. Granted, this was our costliest trip at $10,000 (all in) for 6 people, but we hit Christmas and NYE which is about the most expensive time you can go. We also alternated beach or hiking days with a luau, a boat excursion, ziplining, and snorkeling. It was heaven because I didn't feel like I needed a vacation from my vacation when I got home. I did a lot of planning finding deals on everything, but by September, it was set it and forget it. We ate breakfast and lunches in the condo (or had a picnic), and then ate out for dinners almost every night. Two fancy dinners, some moderate dinners, and the occasional food truck.

Please continue planning wonderful trips and memories for your kids. The beauty of this is that you can tailor these trips to meet the needs of your family, whatever those needs are at the time. The trips don't always have to be the same. If you plan and prepare like you did for this trip, your humor and quick thinking will make them GREAT. My kids laugh now and say "forced family fun - they'll thank you later" as they roll their eyes, but they do thank me, at least the older ones do.

~ Marci

I'm not sure it's a gift, but thank you for the kind words. We enjoyed our time, made memories, but there is so much more in the world to see. A yearly trip to Orlando just doesn't work for our family. Again the parks will always hold a special place in my heart, and memories will last forever.

Now Maui.... That is a trip I would love to do. Maybe I start planning that one next.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I really enjoyed reading your trip report...except for the part about the roaches...just eeewww! I have two primary motivations for wanting to return to Disney: first, our younger daughter hasn't been and I want to share the experience with her and second, I started running way back in 2014 with a Disney Half Marathon as the carrot at the end of the imaginary stick and I would love to share that experience with my older daughter. With all that said, I'm not sure that I can justify the current price tag of a trip that won't live up to our previous experiences at Disney. Your experiences seem to reinforce my reluctance to go back right now. I hope, for all of our sakes, that Disney will eventually regain its former magic.

 

[Stitch#001]

Your report was great. We just came back from a trip to Orlando and have to agree with the final sentiment. We went to HS and EPCOT then spent the rest of the time at Universal. I felt that Universal reminded me more of what Disney used to be with being spontaneous not having to having everything planned and being able to enjoy the moment more with my family then trying to squeezing everything in. My husband and I keep contemplating whether we are going to pause on Disney for a bit.

 

[tehSAC]

I really enjoyed reading your trip report...except for the part about the roaches...just eeewww! I have two primary motivations for wanting to return to Disney: first, our younger daughter hasn't been and I want to share the experience with her and second, I started running way back in 2014 with a Disney Half Marathon as the carrot at the end of the imaginary stick and I would love to share that experience with my older daughter. With all that said, I'm not sure that I can justify the current price tag of a trip that won't live up to our previous experiences at Disney. Your experiences seem to reinforce my reluctance to go back right now. I hope, for all of our sakes, that Disney will eventually regain its former magic.

Yes you should try and experience both with your kids. You're on here, so you will be prepped, but 90% of people that visit don't visit these boards.

Your report was great. We just came back from a trip to Orlando and have to agree with the final sentiment. We went to HS and EPCOT then spent the rest of the time at Universal. I felt that Universal reminded me more of what Disney used to be with being spontaneous not having to having everything planned and being able to enjoy the moment more with my family then trying to squeezing everything in. My husband and I keep contemplating whether we are going to pause on Disney for a bit.

I'm considering if we go back to Orlando, we will jump on the Universal bandwagon. I have a friend that visited a few days during Thanksgiving week in Disney, and a few days during the week before Christmas at Universal. She said 3 days in Universal was too much, cause they were able to do everything they wanted in 2 days.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Yes you should try and experience both with your kids. You're on here, so you will be prepped, but 90% of people that visit don't visit these boards.

I'm considering if we go back to Orlando, we will jump on the Universal bandwagon. I have a friend that visited a few days during Thanksgiving week in Disney, and a few days during the week before Christmas at Universal. She said 3 days in Universal was too much, cause they were able to do everything they wanted in 2 days.

I'm hoping things will settle down over the next few years. We may be shooting for Marathon Weekend 2025 at this point.

Also, I somewhat agree with your friend. We spent five days at Universal in January of 2020. It really was too much time. However, it was too cold for us to spend any time in Volcano Bay. We were also not expecting the Harry Potter areas to be so packed so we did not spend as much time in those areas as we would have liked.

 

[GDubDIS]

Thanks for sharing your trip! Despite the challenges sounds like you still made some great memories, and it was fun to follow along.

Agree with another poster that you might really enjoy Universal. Still some money grabbing of course with things like Express Pass, but more options for different budgets, and easier to have a great time at a lower pricepoint. If either of your daughters are interested in HP then I would say it's a must do. I actually think you could do a 3- to 4-day weekend there and really take it slow, especially if you include Volcano Bay. Not sure if you're water park people but I will say I had the BEST time at Volcano Bay and it really made it feel more like a Disney-type vacation with the 3 different parks. We stayed at Cabana Bay, a value resort, and it had a great pool and theming, early access to Volcano Bay, and easy transportation to the parks within the Universal bubble.

 

[tehSAC]

Thanks for sharing your trip! Despite the challenges sounds like you still made some great memories, and it was fun to follow along.

Agree with another poster that you might really enjoy Universal. Still some money grabbing of course with things like Express Pass, but more options for different budgets, and easier to have a great time at a lower pricepoint. If either of your daughters are interested in HP then I would say it's a must do. I actually think you could do a 3- to 4-day weekend there and really take it slow, especially if you include Volcano Bay. Not sure if you're water park people but I will say I had the BEST time at Volcano Bay and it really made it feel more like a Disney-type vacation with the 3 different parks. We stayed at Cabana Bay, a value resort, and it had a great pool and theming, early access to Volcano Bay, and easy transportation to the parks within the Universal bubble.

I've been looking at the resorts and parks. We are not thrill ride types of people, but it looks like there are some things there that we could do and enjoy. Maybe one day, but not in the near future.

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

Spork acquired…sent you a message!

 

[tehSAC]

Spork acquired…sent you a message!

thank you so much again. Today the spork arrived!!

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

thank you so much again. Today the spork arrived!!
View attachment 645783

OH, I’m so glad it got there!!!

 

[tehSAC]

OH, I’m so glad it got there!!!

Safe to say, this was used for lunch today!

 

[dmbcanada]

Okay the report is finished, and I believe some of you have stuck around for my thoughts. Reasons for the decision to most likely not return as well. They will sound like I am complaining about everything, and I kinda am, but I want to help you understand our decision. I will do my best to highlight the best and worst of our trip. Some items Disney does right, some they could revert back too, and some they could not control. I also understand some of these changes are due to COVID, and I understand. Honestly I live in a house that has taken many precautions due to my wife’s job. However some of these changes, seems to me that Disney is using it as a crutch. Again I’m going to do my best here, and I’ve taken a few days to write and re-write this. So…….

Pricing

Yep I just priced out a on-site visit for November 2022 and it was $7700 CAD for a Moderate Resort for a week with Park Passes, no meals or flights. Priced out an off site condo and it was $5300 for 3 bedroom penthouse condo, rental car, flights and park passes for a family of 3. I can take my family on a guided tour of England and Ireland for not much more! I find this sad as Disney is a place for families to enjoy and it should not break the bank. I am not sure if the price gouging is due to the 50th Anniversary and Covid, but hopefully it will change. For now I will be staying away, which sucks because I want to see Galaxy's Edge so bad!