Dad_of_4_girls
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2007
Hello all,
I mostly lurk on these boards, post once and a while, and way over plan our trips. Didn't want to just post this in trip reports, as I thought you guys might like to see what the actual costs were if your new to planning a trip like this.
First time we have been to WDW since 2008 so a lot has changed, and a lot has stayed the same. Thankfully.
Cast of characters - Me, Wifey. I have 4 girls - 17, 14, 14, 8 and she has 2 boys - 14, and 11 (thats 6 kids - 3 of them are 14)
yes its like the Brady Bunch, and yes they played it every time we got on the Pop Century bus.
We drove down from NW Indiana - just outside of Chicago - I was able to rent a Ford Transit 15 passenger van for $1175 for 2 weeks from Enterprise.
Quick Itinerary - 9 nights on property at Pop Century - 6 days water parks and more tickets, Dining Plan
Day 1 drove to Atlanta - stayed at Country Inn and Suites on points for no cost
Day 2 drove to St Augustine, FL - stayed at Holiday inn - 2 rooms $106 each
Day 3 drove to Daytona - beach day - stayed at Country Inn and Suites on points - no cost
Day 4 drove to WDW, used Water Parks and More to visit Typhoon Lagoon
Day 5 Hollywood Studios - rope drop, Jedi Training, Fantastic Dinner at Mama Melrose - skipped it and watched Star Wars Fireworks - afternoon break at hotel
Day 6 Magic Kingdom - Be our Guest breakfast at 8am pre-park opening, afternoon break, 17 year old birthday dinner at Crystal Palace with a special cake from Disney Cakes ($119)stayed till close and saw Kiss Goodnight
Day 7 Animal Kingdom - Arrived just after opening, Tusker House lunch, Safari at dusk, left at dark - no break
Day 8 Blizzard Beach - at opening, left about 3, dinner at Hoop Dee Doo Review
Day 9 Epcot - at opening, Biergarten for lunch, tried to go to Beaches and Cream with no reservations, went back to hotel for dinner, bed early
Day 10 Epcot - Breakfast at Akershaus pre-opening - walked onto Frozen, no break, stayed for Illuminations, ate our way around the World Showcase
Day 11 Break Day - late breakfast at Ohana, Disney Springs, youngest did Biddidi Boutique while the boys did Disney Quest on the Water Parks and More, I got a couple good cigars at Sosa Cigar shop
Day 12 Magic Kingdom -- all the crowd charts said don't go - it was PACKED. Was supposed to be 8am pre open breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table, park opened at 8am, and stayed open until 2am for EMH. Took a break from 2pm until 6pm and headed back - crowds thinned, then it rained and got thinner - wife took the 2 young ones to hotel and I took the big ones from 11pm till 2am - we had a blast.
Day 13 drove to Asheville, NC stayed at Country Inn and Suites on points for no cost
Day 14 drove through Smokey Mountain Natl park, quick stop in Pigeon Forge for a couple of go-cart laps, then home.
I mostly lurk on these boards, post once and a while, and way over plan our trips. Didn't want to just post this in trip reports, as I thought you guys might like to see what the actual costs were if your new to planning a trip like this.
First time we have been to WDW since 2008 so a lot has changed, and a lot has stayed the same. Thankfully.
Cast of characters - Me, Wifey. I have 4 girls - 17, 14, 14, 8 and she has 2 boys - 14, and 11 (thats 6 kids - 3 of them are 14)
yes its like the Brady Bunch, and yes they played it every time we got on the Pop Century bus.
We drove down from NW Indiana - just outside of Chicago - I was able to rent a Ford Transit 15 passenger van for $1175 for 2 weeks from Enterprise.
Quick Itinerary - 9 nights on property at Pop Century - 6 days water parks and more tickets, Dining Plan
Day 1 drove to Atlanta - stayed at Country Inn and Suites on points for no cost
Day 2 drove to St Augustine, FL - stayed at Holiday inn - 2 rooms $106 each
Day 3 drove to Daytona - beach day - stayed at Country Inn and Suites on points - no cost
Day 4 drove to WDW, used Water Parks and More to visit Typhoon Lagoon
Day 5 Hollywood Studios - rope drop, Jedi Training, Fantastic Dinner at Mama Melrose - skipped it and watched Star Wars Fireworks - afternoon break at hotel
Day 6 Magic Kingdom - Be our Guest breakfast at 8am pre-park opening, afternoon break, 17 year old birthday dinner at Crystal Palace with a special cake from Disney Cakes ($119)stayed till close and saw Kiss Goodnight
Day 7 Animal Kingdom - Arrived just after opening, Tusker House lunch, Safari at dusk, left at dark - no break
Day 8 Blizzard Beach - at opening, left about 3, dinner at Hoop Dee Doo Review
Day 9 Epcot - at opening, Biergarten for lunch, tried to go to Beaches and Cream with no reservations, went back to hotel for dinner, bed early
Day 10 Epcot - Breakfast at Akershaus pre-opening - walked onto Frozen, no break, stayed for Illuminations, ate our way around the World Showcase
Day 11 Break Day - late breakfast at Ohana, Disney Springs, youngest did Biddidi Boutique while the boys did Disney Quest on the Water Parks and More, I got a couple good cigars at Sosa Cigar shop
Day 12 Magic Kingdom -- all the crowd charts said don't go - it was PACKED. Was supposed to be 8am pre open breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table, park opened at 8am, and stayed open until 2am for EMH. Took a break from 2pm until 6pm and headed back - crowds thinned, then it rained and got thinner - wife took the 2 young ones to hotel and I took the big ones from 11pm till 2am - we had a blast.
Day 13 drove to Asheville, NC stayed at Country Inn and Suites on points for no cost
Day 14 drove through Smokey Mountain Natl park, quick stop in Pigeon Forge for a couple of go-cart laps, then home.