4 Kids, 2 Parents, 2 Grandparents and Our 3,000 mile Roundtrip Adventure to WDW! Mar 1 - 10, 2018

Great insights and thank you for reminding me that any of our party w/o a cellphone has to stay "handcuffed" to another person w/ one.

For Sure! And establish a meeting place too. In 2016 i also lost DH at epcot late at night because my phone died. I still didn't learn my lesson.
 


We have had those moments where we lose each other and it is so frustrating. I even think there was a time my DH left with my phone in the diaper bag and I had to use a nice strangers phone:).
 


Do you think that Mickey's BYBBQ was worth it?

Yes with 2 conditions:
1) You get Category 1 Seating (which gives you 1 hour early admittance, bar access, character meet and greet and early buffet access, plus optimal seating by the dance floor so you can see your kids the whole time

2) You have kids 6 and under. Looking back I remember my 8 year old sitting on the bench because he felt he was too old to get out there and dance (because it was mostly the 6 and under crowd), but he did really enjoy the trick roper. In fact that was my favorite part too!

Hope that helps!
 
Day 6 - Tuesday, March 6 - Evening EMH at Epcot

Earlier in the day when we had finished our fastpasses at MK, I was able to get one for Test Track at Epcot for 8:20-9. We arrived to Epcot about 8 and the plan was to do the Nemo Ride, then Turtle Talk, then race over to TT by 9. We got to Nemo and it was a walk on and all the kids loved it. We then went to Turtle Talk but the show had just started so we had to wait another 20 minutes. At this point I just accepted the fact that we wouldn't get over to Test Track in time. Once I let that go I was able to enjoy Turtle Talk. Before it started we explored the Seas pavillion which the kids love. I also enjoy doing Turtle Talk at night because there are less kids which means your child has a better chance of being chosen to talk. Our kids weren't chosen this time (they were back in Nov 2016), but that's ok because the show was pretty much still the same as late 2016. After Turtle Talk we went over to the Land Pavilion because I had checked the wait time for Soarin and it was only 15 minutes. First we dropped the stroller off outside and then we headed in. DH was going to take all 3 of the big kids (it would be DD4's first time!). We walked to the CM at the line and asked for a rider switch. She gave it to us and I mentioned to DH that I would take DS2 on Living with the Land while they rode. The CM heard this and said "Actually, LWTL is already closed." I was surprised to hear this because even though EMH had just started at 9, I thought LWTL was still open for EMH. I was trying to decide what to do with DS2 and I walked around the corner and saw that LWTL was actually open! This is why I never trust CM's! So we got on the ride and he loved it (DS2 loves to just sit in our laps for anything really...as long as it's not the stroller!) I really enjoyed this ride with him. The ride itself is ok, but it's nice to just sit and relax for a bit with just 1 kid to take care of! ;)

After Soarin I decided to save the Rider Switch for our next Epcot day so we could move on and do something else. We then rode Spaceship Earth (again no wait) and the kids really enjoyed doing the interactive games at the exit of the ride. We stayed there about 15 minutes or more and they would have stayed longer but we were ready to move on! It was after 10 at this point but DS6 was getting tired of walking so we decided just one more ride. I took the 3 oldest to Mission Space Green while DH took DS2 and walked around future world with him. We arrived at Mission Space and boy does this ride take forever! There was no wait, but all the instructions and everything really drag it out. But, it was a cool ride for the kids (I didn't care for it and even had a brief stomach lurch/dizziness at the end but that was mainly because I wasn't prepared for the sudden movement). When we were done the kids saw another interactive play area and wanted to do that, but I told them it was time to go. It started sprinkling on us on our way to meet up with DH so I am glad we left when we did. We finally got to the bus stop to head back to WL and barely had to wait for a bus to pull up. It was close to 11 at this point and the kids were dead tired. I was holding DS2 as we got on the bus because he had fallen asleep. The bus was crowded so we headed to the very back to try and find a seat. A nice person gave me their seat since I was holding DS2. There were also spots for DS8 and DD4 but DS6 had to stand. The lady next to me could tell DS6 was really tired so she offered to let him sit on her lap (so sweet!) but he was too shy to do so. The drive back to WL took about 15 minutes and DS6 almost fell asleep standing up. He ended up kneeling on the floor. DD4 also fell alseep next to me. DH was down in the middle of the bus standing with the folded stroller. This was a shared bus with Ft. Wilderness but it was dropping off at WL first. So when we arrived at WL not very many people were getting off and our path down was kind of blocked. Plus, DS6 was so tired he refused to stand up off the floor! I had to wake DD4 up because I was still carrying a sleeping DS2. We finally all made it off the bus but it was quite a spectacle! (This is why we prefer to drive to the parks!)

I was so relieved to make it back to our room and the best thing was I didn't have to prep for the next day because we got to sleep in! We planned to lounge at the pool all day then head to MK in the early evening.

So up next...Our Rest Day at Wilderness Lodge and Evening EMH at MK!
 
WOW! What. A. Day. That was some nice planning!

During these months of planning, I realize I've been picturing a couple specific moments that I hope will be extra special - seeing FoF, for example. It always helps me to hear about great days with the 'hiccups' thrown in, too!
 
WOW! What. A. Day. That was some nice planning!

During these months of planning, I realize I've been picturing a couple specific moments that I hope will be extra special - seeing FoF, for example. It always helps me to hear about great days with the 'hiccups' thrown in, too!

The great thing about Disney trips is even when you have a moment that Is less spectacular than you planned...you never know what kind of pixie dust might be waiting for you the next day!

My favorite parts of this trip are still to come so stay tuned! :)
 
Day 7 - Wednesday March 7

I learned on our 2015 trip that our kids could really only manage 2 full park days in a row. On our 2015 trip we stayed 8 nights, doing 3 full park days, a rest day and then 3 more full park days. That was really hard on them (plus it was hot in September) so in 2016 we cut the trip down to 6 nights and that seemed to be much more manageable for everyone.

Ok, so after the late night at Epcot we planned to sleep in on Wednesday. DD4 was the first one awake at 7:30 and I tried to find something on TV for her to watch while everyone else slept. I don't think I ever went back to sleep but I was able to stay in bed until after 8 at least. The kids started waking up one by one and they were content for a while just watching TV. DH and I sat on our balcony together and drank coffee. It was great to not be in a rush. DD4 even brought me her blanket to keep me warm on the balcony. This was really our first time enjoying our balcony. We were able to watch the Electric Water Pageant on Sunday and Monday nights at 9:30 from our room, but because it was so chilly outside we just opened the door and watched from inside!

It was a really lazy morning and I would have liked to sit around and drink more coffee but around 9:30 the kids were getting restless so we started getting ready for the pool. Thankfully even thought it was a cool morning the sun was out so it looked like it would be a warm day. We got everything together and headed down to the Boulder Ridge Cove pool (the "quiet" pool) and had no issues finding a spot to camp out for the day. I never actually got in the pool but I spent a lot of time in the hot tub. I finally heard from my parents and they had gone over to Epcot that morning. I was proud of them for getting out on their own, even if it was just to souvenir shop. They said they would meet us later at the pool.

We had a waitress at the pool that day which was really nice when we wanted to order lunch. We ordered from Geyster Point. DH got the bison burger again, kids got chicken nuggets and grilled cheese and I had the crab cake sandwich. Everything came with these amazing waffle fries with a cheese seasoning that made them really good! My crab cake sandwich was ok...I had one back in 2014 at the Grand Floridian's beach pool and loved it. But this one was different and not quite as good, but I still ate most of it!

My parents came down right after lunch and sat with us for a bit and we made plans to meet at the boat dock later to head to Magic Kingdom. I changed some things around with our fastpasses. We had Talking Mickey scheduled but since we had already met Mickey at the BBQ and my parents weren't really into characters I changed theirs to Splash Mtn since they missed it the day before. I changed our Mickey to Under the Sea Lil Mermaid (this was a must do for our DD4 so I wanted to go ahead and knock it off the list). We also had Enchanted Tales with Belle planned but I ended up changing that to Meet Ariel (another must do). I also changed my parents Big Thunder Mtn (my dad didn't want to ride as he was worried about dizziness) and got them the Ariel Meet as well so they could see DD4 with her. My parents were also booked for Space Mountain but I ended up changing that one later as well. I think it's funny how before the trip I spent several hours creating our touring plans, then printed them off and brought them with us each day. But the more trips we take the easier it is to change things on the fly and then we barely end up using the TP's. Now after I made all the FP changes I was ready to get back to MK!

The kids had a great time swimming and of course no one wanted to nap so about 2:30 we headed back to the room to change and get ready for the parks. We met my parents at the boat dock at 3:30 and were on Main St by. First thing on the list was to let the kids finish their Pirates Adventure game. That took only about 15 minutes but it was a good chance for my parents to sit and rest their feet. DH and I enjoyed trailing behind the kids, watching them run from one treasure spot to the next. It was time for my parents to head to Splash Mountain so we made plans to meet them outside Ariel's grotto. We filled up our popcorn bucket and on the walk over to New Fantasyland we finally got DS2 to ride in the stroller and he fell asleep! So I took the oldest 3 on the Little Mermaid ride while DH stayed with DS2. DS8 and DS6 were very different this trip and wanted nothing to do with the princesses. In the past they would always go along with their sister on these rides and the meet and greets and didn't mind taking pictures and giving hugs to the princesses. Not so much on this trip, which really surprised me. I ended up telling them that for years she waited for them while they rode the big rides so it was their turn to wait for her. That seemed to help some. After the ride we waited for my parents and it turned out they took the train over from Frontierland to Fantasyland which I thought was a great idea for them! We were happy they came up with that idea on their own. DS2 was still sleeping so everyone else but DH and him got in the FP line for Ariel. The line looked long to me, compared to the past when we had done it so I was a little concerned. However it moved really quickly (there must be multiple grottos??) Again, the boys wanted nothing to do with Ariel and would barely even look at her. I was frustrated but DD4 was in heaven and they got some good pictures together. Ariel did convince the boys to take a picture with her but they stood as far away as possible!

It was only about 6:00 at this point and our next FP wasn't until 6:30 so we headed over to Philharmagic. DH had to sit out again because DS2 was still asleep! But everyone LOVED Philharmagic (it was only my 2nd time seeing it and it had been a few years). I really think it's a must do attraction! While we were in Philharmagic I spent some time working on fastpasses again. I knew my dad didn't want to ride Space Mountain and my mom didn't want to go either so I was able to change their FP to Winnie the Pooh. DH and DS6 were scheduled for Space Mtn as well but since we still had a rider switch for Space I decided to edit theirs to Winnie the Pooh as well. I was scheduled with DS8 and DD4 for 7DMT at the same time. However, with DS2 still sleeping I decided to stay with him and gave my MB to DH and he rode on 7DMT with the other 2. My parents took DS6 on Winnie the Pooh which I think is always a treat for them to take their grandkids without the parents getting in the way! I found a ledge to sit on outside WtP while everyone was riding and DS2 was sleeping and started working on fastpasses again. Everyone had scanned in for their 3rd fastpass of the day so a 4th was ready to be booked (except for DH which I just modified his 3rd to Buzz). I was able to get Buzz for all of us after HEA (which was at 8pm). Park was closing at 9 but EMH was until 11. After Winnie the Pooh it started getting really windy and cold! My dad had not brought his jacket to the park so my parents decided to just head back to WL after doing some shopping on Main St. We still had the rider switch to use for Space Mtn so we headed over there. DS6 was the only one that wanted to ride it so DH took him while I took the other 3 on the Peoplemover. Thankfully DS2 didn't try to "slide down" the moving platform this time. DD4 was tired and cranky at this point so I promised her cotton candy after the ride (yes, terrible parenting I know). We found a stand with only 1 person in line so we grabbed some and then DH and DS6 came out of Space. It was at least 7:35 at this point and HEA was starting in 20 minutes. I had wanted to get a spot much sooner than that but it just didn't work out. Plus my kids really enjoy rides more than they like to sit and wait and they didn't know what they would be missing by not having a straight on view of the castle. We took the walkway past Monsters Inc Laughfloor, got across the bridge and then found a spot on the left before getting to the hub. We had a decent view of the castle. I just had a look at Robo's Fireworks map and we were actually on the edge of a "green" area so that makes me feel better. The kids started fighting over the cotton candy so I jogged back to the place I got it to get another one. Of course the line was about 5 deep this time. Then I jogged back to our fireworks spot. The show started about 2 minutes later and a man right in front of us put a boy on his shoulders. I was furious as it blocked our entire view of the castle. This guy had no clue! I really wanted DH to say something but he wouldn't. Thankfully this guy couldn't stand still and ended up moving enough that I could zig when he would zag (I had DS2 on my hip and DH had DD4 on his hip). Our fireworks viewing spot was also slightly obstructed by a small tree in front of us. It's funny how you don't notice those things until it's too late to move! But that was ok because I found it really hard to watch both the projections and fireworks. And since we had seen the fireworks from WL on another night I was trying to mainly watch the projections. The show was great and we loved singing along (my boys favorite part was the Pirates song). The fireworks ended and our goal was to get to the Buzz ride and use our FP. However, this was tricky because we needed to cross over a sidewalk that consisted of traffic heading to the park exit. DH put me in control of the double stroller. I had read horror stories of these crowds and trying to move after the fireworks so I was just trying to be patient. I was basically trying to part the red sea with my double stroller and the funny thing is I ended up almost running into the shoulder kid guy with his double stroller! Except he couldn't figure out which way he wanted to go. He ended up nodding to me and told me to go first. Finally a path broke through to get across the walkway and there were people that said they would follow behind us as we made a path with our double stroller! Thankfully everyone seemed to be really nice! We rode Buzz and then we headed back to Fantasyland to use a rider switch for 7DMT (which we had gotten when we rode with a FP before the fireworks and had to use that same day). On our walk over there it was about 9pm and we noticed how EMPTY the park was. We think it had to do with the bitter cold wind earlier because it really was a nice day up until that point. I took DD4 and DS6 with me on 7DMT while DH took DS8 and DS2 over to Dumbo. After our 7DMT ride I texted DH and he said they were going on Dumbo again so we headed over there and rode it also (it was a complete walk on). There was still plenty of EMH left and I really would have loved to stay but the kids were tired after swimming all day, plus they were hungry (we didn't eat dinner) so we decided to head out. I really wanted some corn dog nuggets from Casey's and tried to use mobile order but it told me Casey's was closed (probably because it was EMH hours). So we walked over there and the line was way out the door. I was bummed but we had some food back in the room so we headed back. We got to watch part of the Electric Water Pageant while we waited for the boat. We got back to the resort and once we got in the room we cut up some cheese and sausage to eat for dinner! I then got everything ready for the next day, took my shower, then set my alarm for 5:45 as we were going to 8am EMH at Epcot the next day and wanted to leave by 6:45.

Next Up...a Day Filled with Tears and Pixie Dust!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DLo
Day 8 - Thursday March 8 - AM EMH at Epcot

The morning started at 5:45 and we went through our normal routine. I got up and turned the coffee maker on, got dressed, fixed my hair and makeup. Then DH would get up and get dressed. I would go to the ice machine so we could fill the water bottles. Usually the pouring of the ice in the water bottles would help stir the kids. The kids had more more surprises waiting for them at the foot of their beds, along with their clothes. They got more of those little Tsum Tsum's, which DD4 loved. These little gifts are such a great idea...even if it's just cheap stuff it helps my kids from asking for stuff in the parks. The one year we didn't do these "Tinkerbell gifts" my kids asked for EVERYTHING and the meltdowns were horrible. Now we just tell them we aren't buying souvenirs and DS8 and DS6 get it. DD4 and DS2 struggle a little bit but nothing too major (although I myself was tempted to buy the $20 Mickey Pirate plush from the POC store...that's gotta be my favorite souvenir shop!)

We were headed to our car by 6:45. And let me tell you, I just love the peacefulness of the resorts in the early morning hours! As we were headed to our car we saw a cast member walking into work at WL. He saw us (we were the only humans out and about that early at the resort) and said Good Morning. I then recognized him as the bellman that helped me with the rental stroller earlier in the week. I asked him if his name was "Mike" and he said yes and seemed suspicious. I reached into my purse and pulled out some cash and told him that he helped me with a stroller earlier in the week and I had promised to bring a tip back for him. He laughed and remembered me, since he originally brought me a stroller with the wrong name. I was so glad to be able to get him that tip!

We arrived at Epcot by 7am and had a great parking spot. We headed to the entrance and there were only 2 other families in front of us waiting for the security lines to open. The line continued to build but they did not open the security tables until 7:30. I was surprised at this because the last 2 trips we had done 8am EMH at Epcot and we never had to wait that long. We passed the time by getting out bubbles for the kids and chatting with the other families. We got thru security and then about 7:45 they opened up the tapstyles and we headed to the internal rope. I stopped and got 4 of the Flower and Garden Passports for the kids and caught back up with our family at the rope. DS2 was struggling at this point. Didn't want to sit in the stroller and was just tired and cranky overall. I tried handing him a passport and showing him the stickers but he threw it on the ground. I had other passports in my hand along with some other things and dropped them and tried picking everything up. Apparently I hadn't picked up all the passports I dropped when I saw a man near us reach down at my feet and pick up a passport. He then handed it to his wife but he saw me watching him and said "Oh, did you want this?" It was really strange as I really didn't know I had dropped it and yes I still wanted it so he gave it back to me. It was like he got caught trying to sneak it away. Anyhow, at 8am they dropped the rope and we headed towards FEA...except DS2 refused to ride in the stroller again. DD4 was in the stroller so I pushed her while DH carried DS2. We got to FEA and parked the stroller and got on the ride in about 5 minutes. We enjoyed it and it's nice to have a family pic with all of us on a ride! We then went to the Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet and waited about 10 minutes. But DS8 and DS6 didn't want to go near them, and even though DS2 finally learned all the Frozen character names before our trip, he didn't want to go near them either! But that's ok because DD4 was happy. We then headed to Test Track, stopping for a bathroom break first since our FP didn't start until 9:05 and it was only about 8:50. After the bathroom we finally got DS2 settled in the stroller. Originally I had only 3 fastpasses booked for Test Track and our other 2 were for Soarin. But early that morning I realized we would not have time to ride TT again with rider switch before meeting my parents at Soarin at 9:30. Plus, all 3 big kids wanted to ride Test Track. So I changed one of the Soarin Fastpasses to TT while we were waiting for the park to open. (I just kept refreshing and finally managed to get that 9:05 time!) Since I missed out on riding TT on our last trip, I got to go this time and I took all 3 kids with me. The plan was for DH to take DS2 to the Cars Flower and Garden Play area because I figured he would love that. I was really excited to ride TT with these kids. DS8 had to take the chicken exit last time, and DD4 was too scared to ride so it was great they all wanted to do it this time. We designed our cars, with DS8 and DS6 designing one together and DD4 and I designed our own. We then got on the ride and my kids always get confused when the blue car pulls up and it's not "their car". But they get over it quickly once the ride starts. We had a great time on the ride but when we exited DS6 wanted to stay in the exit area and design more cars. Ugh. We had always used this area to stay with the little ones so they were used to getting some time in here. But I told them we didn't have time because Grandma and Papa were waiting for us at Soarin. We met up with DH at the Cars play area and DS2 was asleep. He never got to go to the play area but that was ok because he needed his rest. We headed over to meet my parents who had just arrived at Soarin. This is my mom's favorite ride and all 3 kids wanted to ride again and since we still had 1 fastpass for it plus an unused rider switch from Tuesday night, that was just enough for the 4 of us to ride. My parents had their own fastpass for Soarin. We had a great time riding together but then it was time to go separate ways again. We were headed to lunch at Trattoria Al Forno for the Bon Voyage Breakfast while my parents wanted to eat Fish and Chips in the UK. My parents wanted to ride Spaceship Earth first so I pointed them in that direction and then we headed to World Showcase. We stopped at Port of Entry and I bought Spike the honeybee scavenger hunt maps for the kids. They were $6 each and I bought 4 just in case, although DS2 never touched his. We headed towards the International Gateway and since we had never been to the Boardwalk before I pulled up the walking directions on the MDE app and this was very helpful! I actually used that feature a couple times this trip. We arrived right on time for our 10:40 reservation and were seated within 10 minutes. They seated us right as you enter the dining area which proved to be helpful later in the meal. They brought us coffee and juice and took our order. Then the pastries came out and DH and I really enjoyed them. The other kids nibbled on them. DS2 refused to sit in a chair and wanted to sit on our laps. But he was very squirmy which made it tough to enjoy our meal. At this character meal the characters are introduced every 15 minutes or so and then they parade through the dining area, then they proceed to do their meet and greets, picking up on the section they left off. Ariel came in, which is my redhead DD4's favorite and she asked all the princesses to follow her in the parade. DD4 wanted to go so badly but was too shy to go by herself. DH and I were worn out from DS2 so we asked her older brothers to walk her over to the parade. They didn't want to which really upset DD4. DH and I were frustrated with the boys and right about the time we were going to walk her over there, Prince Eric was introduced into the room and as he walked in he saw DD4 and could see what was happening (I think it was amazing that he actually picked up on this and wasn't just going through the motions of being introduced), he came right over to DD4 and asked if he could personally escort her to the parade. Seriously, her eyes lit up and she was startstruck. She was speechless but took his hand and walked with him. Prince Eric held her hand throughout the entire parade and it was such a priceless moment. She had a smile on her face the whole time! When the parade ended he even walked her back to her seat. I'm pretty sure I had tears in my eyes watching this. This is why we go to Disney all the time...because of moments like this!

Ok, we finally got our food...all the kids ordered pancakes while DH got the calzone and I got the steak (yum!) It was a quiet meal, except for DS2 who didn't want to eat but still wanted to squirm. All the characters came around (Ariel, Eric, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider). The boys enjoyed Flynn Rider as he joked around with them and told them he was keeping an eye on them. DD4 got to meet Ariel again but of course was speechless. I am always impressed how the characters manage to make small talk, even when the kids don't talk back! We were done by 12 and headed out back towards Epcot As we were walking on the Boardwalk we found a photobooth. I remember reading that you could use memory maker for these, so we had fun squeezing all 6 of us into the booth and taking some pics. It really was a great memory...all of us together doing something spontaneous!

We headed back into Epcot thru the International Gateway and met up with my parents at the UK pavilion. Our plan was to leisurely stroll around WS, grabbing some of our favorite drinks or trying new ones at the F&G booths, all while the kids did their scavenger hunt. But DS2 didn't like that plan. We made it to France and DH and I were in desperate need of a drink. I wanted a Grey Goose Slushie and they also had beer so DH and I got in line with DS2 kicking and screaming while my parents wandered with the other 3 kids. We finally got our drinks and forced DS2 into the stroller. He ended up kicking off his shoes and socks and I had to backtrack to find them! All while trying to juggle the stroller and martini glass that they serve the grey goose slushies in. I got the orange one this time and it was ok...maybe a little on the sweet side. I had the citron one on our last trip and I think I liked that one better. We had thought about trying to do some character meet and greets while walking WS, but it just became too complicated with my parents, the older kids trying to do the scavenger hunt, and dealing with DS2 so we gave up on that idea and no one seemed to care. Also, we had really wanted to try some of the special drinks at the F&G booths but the lines were sooo long! So we kind of gave up on that idea as well. After France we walked past Morocco and Japan (the kids finding their honeybee and putting their stickers on their maps) and we approached the American Adventure. DS2 had fallen asleep in the stroller and I really wanted to watch the Am Adv show so I asked my parents and they said sure, so all of us except DH and DS2 went in to watch. I showed DH where Fife and Drum was so he could get himself a beverage while he waited for us. We had to wait about 10 minutes but that was enough time for the kids to use the restroom. The show started and DD4 fell asleep in my arms. I texted DH and told him what time the show would be over and that there was a drink I wanted to try from Fife and Drum (frozen red stag lemonade). I enjoyed the show but I also allowed myself to take a brief snooze! When the show was over we came out and DH had my drink waiting for me! It was very filling and sweet! We continued our walk through World Showcase and DS2 woke up right when we got to Germany (he had not slept long enough so was cranky) so we showed him the train display. This was good at first but turned into not so good after about 10 minutes. He has some OCD tendencies like his older brother DS8. He has a hard time with transitions and at this time did not want to stop watching the trains. We had to pry him away and he had another meltdown. The kids were still working on their scavenger hunt and up next was one that they could not find in the Savanna area. DH looked all over with them but DS8 was not happy and wanted to complete all of the hunt. We were still dealing with DS2 so I found a kiosk with frozen cokes and got one for each of the kids. (I was still trying to finish my lemonade) We made it through China, Norway and then I thought DS2 would enjoy the 3 Caballeros ride in Mexico so all 8 of us went inside the Mexico Pavilion for that. I really wanted an avocado margarita from La Cava but the line was pretty long out the door so I gave up that idea and we got in line for the ride. This may have been our longest line of our whole trip! We waited about 20 minutes but I was busy trying to secure fastpasses for Hollywood Studios that evening. I had managed to get 2 FP for RnR at HS that evening plus 3 more for TSM. DH had DS2 and he settled down a little bit while waiting. We finally got on the ride but I missed most of it as I was modifying for just the right time for those fastpasses! Once we were done with Mexico my parents decided to head back to the resort to rest some and then wanted to go to MK that evening to eat dinner. So we said goodbye to them and DS8 started complaining about the scavenger hunt again. He (along with DS2 and his momma) has a hard time letting things go. I was determined to help him find this mysterious honeybee and so we turned around walked past Norway and China back to the Savannah. I couldn't find it so I found a CM and she was really nice and without telling us where it was she gave us plenty of hints so that we could find it. I was so relieved! The kids were finally happy. We headed back to the WS entrance and I ran over to Canada to get a maple whiskey popcorn shake. Surprisingly the line was really short! It was a small drink but really strong and just what I needed. It was almost 4:00 at this point so we headed out of Epcot with plans to go to Hollywood Studios. DS2 was still not happy so DH decided to take him back to the resort. I was bummed but he insisted I take the other 3 on to HS by myself. I will admit I was a little nervous but excited at the same time! So on the drive over to HS I was able to modify the RnR FP to get another TSM FP, so we now had 4 for TSM and it was for right at the time we would be arriving!

Next Up...More Tears and More Pixie Dust at HS...Plus my first STROLLER-LESS experience at Disney with Kids!
 
I think it's funny how before the trip I spent several hours creating our touring plans, then printed them off and brought them with us each day. But the more trips we take the easier it is to change things on the fly and then we barely end up using the TP's. Now after I made all the FP changes I was ready to get back to MK!
I totally agree! So much planning and getting up early for 60 day FPs, and then end up throwing a lot of it out the window when you get to the parks! (Well except those crazy hard to get FPs and ADRs)!

hile we were in Philharmagic I spent some time working on fastpasses again. I knew my dad didn't want to ride Space Mountain and my mom didn't want to go either so I was able to change their FP to Winnie the Pooh. DH and DS6 were scheduled for Space Mtn as well but since we still had a rider switch for Space I decided to edit theirs to Winnie the Pooh as well. I was scheduled with DS8 and DD4 for 7DMT at the same time. However, with DS2 still sleeping I decided to stay with him and gave my MB to DH and he rode on 7DMT with the other 2. My parents took DS6 on Winnie the Pooh which I think is always a treat for them to take their grandkids without the parents getting in the way! I found a ledge to sit on outside WtP while everyone was riding and DS2 was sleeping and started working on fastpasses again. Everyone had scanned in for their 3rd fastpass of the day so a 4th was ready to be booked (except for DH which I just modified his 3rd to Buzz). I was able to get Buzz for all of us after HEA (which was at 8pm).
OMG, it just gives me a headache trying to think how you schedule FPs and Rider Swaps and everything! :thumbsup2 Since Fastpasses started, I've never been to a Disney park with a kid who doesn't meet the height requirement, so I just can't even imagine how you do it! Good job!

The show started about 2 minutes later and a man right in front of us put a boy on his shoulders. I was furious as it blocked our entire view of the castle. This guy had no clue! I really wanted DH to say something but he wouldn't.
Argh! That is sooo annoying! Like, seriously, maybe hold them on your hip or something, at least that doesn't block the view behind you as bad!
 
I totally agree! So much planning and getting up early for 60 day FPs, and then end up throwing a lot of it out the window when you get to the parks! (Well except those crazy hard to get FPs and ADRs)!
I think all the planning helps in the long run in that you get a good feel for how things work and what you can do and when...which helps you make decisions on the fly as needed! But it does make me kind of sad when I pretty much throw out the TP!


OMG, it just gives me a headache trying to think how you schedule FPs and Rider Swaps and everything! :thumbsup2 Since Fastpasses started, I've never been to a Disney park with a kid who doesn't meet the height requirement, so I just can't even imagine how you do it! Good job!

Our first trip we only had 2 kids with a ticket so we have gradually added more complication. Honestly I look forward to the day when we no longer have to use rider switch!


Argh! That is sooo annoying! Like, seriously, maybe hold them on your hip or something, at least that doesn't block the view behind you as bad!
Yes, I have heard people complain about shoulder kids before but this was the first time it really affected us...especially when you really want to see that castle!
 
Day 8 Continued - Thursday, Mar 8 - Evening at Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios is a great park to try and go stroller-less because it's relatively small. On the way over to HS I told DD4 that if she wanted to go with us she wouldn't be able to ride in the stroller. She hesitated but in the end decided she could tough it out. We pulled into HS and when directed to park DH asked the attendant if there was a drop off area. The CM showed us where to go which was right up front so that was nice! (I have always wanted to try this technique to find a closer parking spot when arriving in the evening, but have always been too chicken to ask the CM.) We said goodbye to DH and DS2 and we walked into HS. The freedom I felt not having to worry about a stroller was great! We headed back towards Toy Story Mania and on our way we saw some Stormtroopers with a CM handler. We stopped to watch them and the CM was telling people that the stormtroopers would call you up if they wanted to talk to you. My boys had on their Star Wars Darth Vader jackets and the stormtroopers noticed right away and called them over. DD4 followed them but she was wearing a Minnie Mouse jacket and they sent her back to me. She didn't quite understand and started crying. The CM was really nice and told her that it was for her protection since the Stormtroopers are on the dark side (they really stay in character). I thought that was a cool way of saying it. I comforted DD4 while trying to take a pic of the boys with the Stormtroopers. I noticed another kid try and walk up to them to interact but the CM said again that you must wait to be called up. DD4 calmed down and we headed to Toy Story Mania to use our FP. When we were about to board the CM stopped and asked how old the boys were. Since DS6 was not yet 7 he could not ride alone with DS8. So DS8 rode on his side alone and I sat in the middle between DD4 and DS6. I was bummed I didn't get to play but got over it quickly because the kids were happy. But I am a competitive person! After TSM we strolled over to Cruz Ramirez but the line was really long so we skipped that. We were about to head over to Star Wars Launch Bay but the kids were getting hungry for dinner. We had plenty of time so we headed over to Backlot Express and used mobile order to get hot dogs for DS8 and DS6, and the kids menu Dark Side Chicken and Waffles for DD4. I ordered the Darth Vader Chocolate/PB cupcake for myself thinking I could eat some of DD4's chicken. Here's a tip at Backlot Express...the drinks are self-serve so in our case we ordered just 1 kids meal that came with a drink and all 3 kids were able to share it by getting refills. Our order came quickly and I was a little disappointed in the waffle. It was hard and a little cold and DD4 barely ate any of it. She preferred her chicken which meant I didn't have anything to eat. So I placed another order for a bacon cheeseburger! We took our time eating and I enjoyed just sitting there talking with the kids. They asked about going on more rides and I kind of laughed and said there wasn't much there anymore. (I can't handle Star Tours, we have never tried ToT, and DD4 is too short for RnR)

We were done eating so we started walking across the area in front of the Chinese Theater. There was a PP taking pics in front of the DHS sign so we stopped and waited for the family in front of us to finish up. I got a great pic with the kids and the PP even mentioned how good the kids were. As we were done with the PP, a CM came up and asked us if we had plans to watch the Star Wars Fireworks that night. I said yes and she asked if we would like to have special reserved seating. I said yes! She asked if it was just the 4 of us so again I said yes. She told us we would be the Galactic Family of the Night. She asked the kids if they wanted to meet Chewbacca or Kylo Ren and they said both! (smart kids!) She kind of laughed and said, "I think we can do that." So she escorted us into Launch Bay and we went to a special section at the front of the line for Kylo Ren. It was really awkward as I don't like attention like that and everyone in line was looking at us! Anyhow, we went in to meet Kylo Ren. We did this meet and greet on our last trip and honestly this time was scary! He talked to the boys because they had their DV jackets on, we took a pic, then he was done with us and literally shoved us out the door. It was so cool! The CM then took us over to Chewbacca, but the boys made sure to take their jackets off first because they didn't want Chewie to see them! Chewie was great and he had us raise our arms over our heads to take a picture. We then headed out of Launch Bay with the CM. The fireworks were scheduled for 8:15 with Disney Movie Magic at 7:55. The CM said to come back between 7:30-7:40 to check in for our spot.

We had about 45 minutes still so we went to watch Voyage of the Little Mermaid (a favorite of DD4's). The boys protested just a bit but I reminded them of what happened with the Stormtroopers and then they were ok with it. We had to wait in the holding area for about 10 minutes. There was maybe only 5 other people waiting! While we waited we sat down and played I Spy. It was fun looking all around and noticing things you wouldn't normally notice. We entered the theater and I let DD4 choose where to sit and she chose the 2nd row! We were so close you could literally see the characters dressed in their black. I thought this might ruin some of the "magic" of the show for the kids but they never mentioned it. We got a little wet during the show but it wasn't too bad. Everyone enjoyed the show and we sang thru parts of it. It was then about time to go find our spot for the fireworks but it was so COLD and the kids were freezing! It was low 50's at this point. We all had on pants with just a light jacket. I remembered the coffee stand right outside Toy Story so I asked the kids if they wanted hot chocolate and they were jumping up and down saying "yes!" So we ran over there to get coffee and hot chocolate. This was a big treat for the kids and they were so excited, plus it helped to keep our hands warm while we waited!

We then went to check in for our fireworks spot and the CM found our name on the list and gave us lanyards that we got to keep. She also presented us with a certificate with our name on it and the date. It was a neat souvenir. The CM walked us over to our spot and if you are familiar with the dessert party viewing area on the raised concrete, well this is where we got to sit. We arrived before the dessert party guests so we got to sit on the ground at the back of the viewing area on a very small ledge. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to sit or stand, but with 15 minutes before Disney Movie Magic we decided to sit and rest. The CM chatted with us for a while and another CM brought us 2 boxes of popcorn (we ended up spilling one, big surprise!). The CM had just started the college program in January so it was interesting talking with her. She was only working 6 hour days but was preparing to work a lot more once Spring Break really kicked in. The dessert party viewers then came out so she left us alone and I was relieved when everyone from the party sat down on the concrete also!

Sitting there huddled together it didn't feel as cold. I enjoyed Disney Movie Magic a lot and so did the kids! There was a 5 minute break before the fireworks so the CM came back out and talked to the entire group and did Disney trivia to help pass the time. I was impressed with her knowledge after less than 2 months working there! The fireworks show started and the kids LOVED it! I am not a huge Star Wars fan, but the kids are. I will say our spot was so close we had to literally turn our heads to see the fireworks. I would have liked more fireworks but I couldn't complain.

After the show the park was closed so we strolled back down Hollywood Blvd and out the exit. We walked to the WL bus stop and there was a bus waiting! We were one of the last to squeeze on and everybody had to stand but we didn't mind. We ended up passing the time by talking with a nice family from Montreal. They were speaking a little bit of french so I was able to say some things to them in french and they were impressed! We made it back to the hotel and the kids were excited to see their dad and tell them all about their night. I was so excited to tell him how great Disney was without a stroller! Not having to push a double stroller through the crowds was so nice! I did, however feel really bad that he missed out on the night. He said DS2 fell asleep about 6:00 so DH just chilled in the room watching TV.

I'm not sure why we were chosen to be the special family...it may have been because the CM felt sorry for a "single" mom with 3 kids, or they were looking for a family of 4...or whatever. But I do think not having the stroller really helped our chances. There are too many variables when you have small kids in a stroller and the CM's probably didn't want to take the chance on choosing a family that might have meltdowns! I also realized after writing all of this, that DS2 was just plain tired. While he slept great at night while at Disney, he barely took naps which resulted in his major meltdown day at Epcot. But we pushed through and made the best of it and the other kids had a great time.

The kids headed to bed and I got everything ready for the next day and set the alarm for 6:30. This was "sleeping in" for us at Disney...we planned to rope drop Hollywood Studios the next day but wanted to arrive by 8 to sign up for Jedi Training!

Next Up...Will We Get There in Time to Sign Up for Jedi Training? Our Last Early Morning Adventure at WDW
 
Day 9, Friday March 9 - Our last full day at Disney + Jedi Training!

I was really worried that I wouldn't want to get out of bed on this Friday. I remember from our last trip I was so tired and my legs were so exhausted by the last day that I could barely get out of bed. But when my alarm went off at 6:30 I was pumped and ready to go! I also think it helped to save Jedi Training for the last day because the kids really wanted to do it and it was good motivation to get them up in the morning.

We arrived at the HS parking lot about 7:45, got parked and headed to the entrance. In the past we were able to use the sidewalk security entrance on the left side but there was a sign up saying pathway closed and we had to use the main entrance which is a bit of extra walking. I think this must be a CM entrance only now because there was a security guard stationed there, but he waved and told us we had to go thru the main security. We did that and arrived at the tapstyles by 8. The ones on the left had maybe 3 or 4 families each but I found one on the right where there was just 1 family so we got in that line. We passed the time by talking with some other families. I was also finalizing our morning touring plan because DH and I still wanted to ride RnR but to accomplish that we would have to get rider switch, but that also meant we would have to go together at RD. Since there's not much else for the kids to do over there I didn't think that was a good plan. We also wanted to meet Buzz and Woody so we decided to do that instead after signing up for Jedi Training.

As we waited to go thru the tapstyles Daisy Duck came out and interacted with the kids waiting. She saw my DD4 and pulled her thru the tapstyle to give her a hug. The kids loved that and it was a great way to start the day. About 8:35 they let us through the tapstyles. I took the hands of DS8, DS6, and DD4 and we walked briskly over to Jedi Signups at the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost. Since we were one of the first thru the gates there was no "mad rush" like I was envisioning. We ended up being the 3rd in line to sign up and got our choice of show at 12:40. The CM did mention they were signing kids up starting at 9:40 but I knew we could pick whatever time. We were done by 8:45 and DH and DS2 were waiting for us on a bench next to the Outpost. He was shocked we were done so quick. We then wanted to join the rope drop crowd but there was a line forming behind one of the shops on Hollywood Blvd and next to the lake that would eventually merge with the crowd on Hollywood Blvd. At this point we decided to try and do TSM first and then Buzz and Woody since we got done so quick with signups. We chose to wait with the crowd by the lake and after a few minutes the CM's led us to TSM. There were a lot of people and they directed us to stroller parking. After we parked and before we got to the Buzz and Woody place on the left, the line for TSM came almost to a stop. Since we had already done TSM and we had a FP for it later in the day, we decided we would just go ahead and do Buzz and Woody. So we snuck over there and were the 2nd in line and got that done quickly. Once we got back out the line for TSM had thinned out and the sign still said 20 minutes so we got in the TSM line. We only waited 15 minutes! Seating with the kids on this one is tricky. Originally the CM put DS8 and DS6 together, then DH and DD4, then me and DS2. We all got in our cars and were about to start the ride when a CM asked the boys how old they were. When one said 6 he made him get out and join me and DS2. I was ok with this as I thought it might happen. The CM suggested that DS2 should sit on my lap but I didn't take him up on his advice (I should have). DS2 insisted on aiming AND firing but since he sat so low his gun was pointed at the top the whole time! He didn't care though!

We had plans to meet my parents around 10 for our first FP for the Frozen Sing Along at 10:30 but we still had some time to spare (it was 9:20 when we got off) so I checked the Disney Jr show times and there was one at 9:40. So DH took the 2 big boys to Star Tours and I took the 2 littles to Disney Jr. They LOVED it (it was boring to me but they were happy so I was happy). We then all met up for the Frozen show (along with my parents). We had a great set of storytellers this time and even my parents really enjoyed the show. After seeing it in 2015 and 2016 it was nice to hear some new jokes.

We had lunch reservations at 50s PrimeTime at 11am so we headed there right after Frozen. We were seated in about 5 minutes. Our waitress was GREAT and was even able to put up with my dad and his weird jokes, and she was really nice about it! I ordered the PBJ milkshake (so good). DH and I shared the sampler platter and an order of onion rings. The rings were amazing and I enjoyed the fried chicken. The pot roast and meatloaf were good but I could do without them next time. I can't remember what the kids had, probably mac and cheese and chicken of some sort. DS2 was getting tired at this point and only wanted to sit on our laps, which made it difficult to eat. Plus, our food took a while to arrive so once it arrived around 11:50 we had to rush to get it down. I ended up leaving with the 3 big kids while the others finished up and paid the bill. We had to get them checked in by 12:10 for Jedi Training. We got checked in and the CM took the kids behind a roped off area and directed them to the front line (they would fight Vader from this line). We waited for a bit and I still hadn't seen DH so I texted him and told him we would be heading over to the stage soon and if he could find me a beer that would be great. We marched over to the stage...DD4 was near the very front since she was one of the short ones. It was neat hearing them chant "Here come the Jedi, Here we come!". We got to the stage and the kids went up and in an effort to secure a spot near the front to take video, I missed the directions from the PP on which person to take the Photopass card from. I ended up getting one but had a feeling I got the wrong one. (There are 2 PP's and you want to make sure to get the card from the one that is assigned to your kid's line). DH showed up right behind me with a grapefruit beer. It was really nice to sip on that while watching the show. The kids loved their training and DS8 did a great job this time as opposed to 2016 when he almost had an anxiety attack and nearly started crying on stage.

The show wrapped up at 1 and the big boys wanted to watch the Indiana Jones show. DS2 was sleeping in the stroller (thank goodness) and DD4 wanted to meet Olaf. So the grandparents took the boys to the Indy show while I took DD4 to Olaf and DH got to people watch while staying with DS2 (his favorite thing at WDW). The line for Olaf took at least 30 minutes but at 1 in the afternoon that's to be expected. We all met up after the Indy show (which they all enjoyed) and headed over to TSM for our FP. This time each adult took one kid and I finally got to play! Somehow my dad barely beat me though, but I did beat DH! After scanning in for the TSM FP I got on MDE and booked a 4th FP for Tomorrowland Speedway at MK (it was on our must do list and we still hadn't done it yet). After the ride we left the park to head back to WL for one more chance to swim.

Up Next...Our Last Evening at MK and my 1 brief but very magical hour with DD4 and no stroller!
 
Day 9, Friday March 9 Continued - Magical Evening at MK

After we left Hollywood Studios we spent some time at the WL pool one last time. It was chilly (mid 60's) but DD4 talked me into getting in the pool because it was sooo warm. I got in and she was right! It was my only time in the pool all week! The reason I got in was because she wanted to go down the slide but was afraid to do it if there wasn't someone there to "catch" her. So I waded over there and she went down with her puddle jumper on and while I was right there, she didn't even need me. Once she figured that out she went up and down several times. I was so happy that I got in with her. I also got to play with DS2 for a bit in the warm water. It was a great last afternoon there.

We headed back to the room to change and get ready for MK. My parents were going to Artist Point that night for dinner and planned to go to MK later on. Our Tomorrowland Speedway Fastpass ended at 6:30 and we arrived at the boat dock around 5:30. I figured that was plenty of time. But first we had to wait 15 minutes for the boat. Then the boat that did come was headed to Fort Wilderness first. We finally got to MK about 6:15 but the security and tapstyle lines were so long! It must have been because of all the people arriving for the fireworks. Plus, it was Friday night and the start of spring break for a lot of colleges. We finally made it into the park and rushed over to the Speedway. But the boys had to use the restroom so we stopped for that. We ended up arriving at the Speedway at 6:40 but our fastpasses still worked because there is usually a 15 minute grace period. Whew! I don't know why I didn't try modifying on the ride over to a later time but I guess I just forgot. Speedway is a tricky one for our family. Each adult had to take 2 kids. I had DD4 and DS6 I think while DS2 and DS8 went with DH. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long with a fastpass. I really hope that's the last time the kids ask to ride this, because it is so hard to steer! We got off the ride and ended up separated from DH again so we wandered over to the bathroom (again). I had booked a FP for Buzz right after we tapped into the Speedway so once we finally all met up again we headed over there.

It was getting close to FEA at this point (7:55 start time) so crowds were thinning out a bit in Tomorrowland. DS8 and DS6 were able to ride in a car by themselves on Buzz so the 6 of us each had our own guns. A little family competition that I won. After the ride FEA had just started so we hopped on the Peoplemover and it was AMAZING getting to watch the fireworks while on this ride. Everyone should try this at least once! I also believe it was DH's first time on the ride because I always take the kids when he's on Space Mtn. While on Peoplemover I grabbed a FP for Under the Sea. Our walk over there started right after HEA ended and there were just swarms of people everywhere. We hopped on that ride and then I grabbed another FP for It's a Small World. While on that ride I asked the kids what they wanted to ride again and really the only kid that spoke up was DD4 and she kept saying 7DMT. The wait stayed over 60 minutes all night so I just told her we had to do something else. While on IASW I grabbed a FP for Winnie the Pooh. We got off WtP and we were close to 9:30 at this point. We were getting hungry so we headed over to Frontierland to figure out what to do next. I grabbed a FP for Splash Mtn but only DD4 and DS6 wanted to ride. While we rode that DH took the other 2 to find a snack. DS8 had his first ever churro and LOVED it! This kid is so picky so it was huge for him to try something new. Back on Splash the kids and I were in the front row. When we came up the top of the mountain and could see the castle and Space Mtn all lit up at night, it was AWESOME! I was taking in every minute of our last night. We got a little wet but it wasn't too bad.

We joined up with DH and the others and I wanted to grab a snack since we had not eaten dinner. Pecos Bill was right there but they had just closed at 10. Then, all the snack carts closed too. Bummer! So i settled for PB crackers from our snack bag. We still had another hour of the park to be open so we tried to figure out what to do. DS8 and DS6 were getting tired and wanted to go back to the hotel. DD4 was still determined to ride 7DMT. I told her the only way we would do that was right at park close since the wait was still 60 minutes. DH headed back to the hotel with the other kids, but first I placed an order on the app for 2 orders of Casey's Corn Dog Nuggets and gave DH firm instructions to save me some back at the room. :) They headed out and picked those up and then headed to the boat dock to go back to WL. While waiting they got to see the Electrical Water Pageant and DS8 started singing to "You're a Grand Old Flag." The people next to him were impressed that he knew that song...I blame the homeschooling. :) Meanwhile, DD4 and I got in line for Big Thunder with a posted standby wait of 25 minutes. It was 10:15 when we got in line so I figured if we made it off by 10:45 that would give us plenty of time to walk over to 7DMT to get in line by 11. But the line took forever and ended up being our longest standby wait of the trip...30 minutes (it really wasn't that bad but I was stressed the whole time because I did not want to disappoint DD4 if we didn't make it to 7DMT). I kept telling her that we may not make it and she needed to be prepared for that. She seemed to be ok with it. We finally got on BTMR around 10:45 and were seated in the very last row! It was fun but DD4 did not enjoy the back row so much. After we got off we literally jogged the whole way over to 7DMT. She made me hold her hand and she kept cheering me on "Come on mom, you got this!". Then she would get tired but I wouldn't let her quit. (She runs with me sometimes at home and also likes to be my "coach" when I'm exercising in the basement.)

We made it to the line entrance with 3 minutes to spare! We got in line with a posted standby wait of 40 minutes. I was ok with that because this was DD4's last request. But it turns out we only waited 15 minutes! It was amazing. Plus, I couldn't believe I rode that ride 4 times on this trip and twice thru the standby line. Our first time ever thru standby. DD4 was so happy and it was such a great way to end our trip. We were on cloud 9 when we left. The park was emptying out at this point so we took our time and stopped and took a castle pic on Main St. (sadly our only castle pic of the trip) We left the park and headed to the bus stop (I knew the bus was quicker and I figured at this time of night there wouldn't be much of a wait). Sure enough there was a bus waiting and we hopped on and only 1 other couple joined us. We had a quick quiet ride to WL. We got back to the room around midnight and DH was the only one awake. He had saved a whole tray of corn dog nuggets for me! DD4 asked for a PBJ so I made that for her and she ended up falling asleep on the floor while eating it. And those corn dog nuggets were Sooooo good!

You probably noticed we never met up with my parents. We were heading to ride Buzz when they showed up and they had to go to a shop on Main St and ended up watching the fireworks from there. They really enjoyed that and didn't know what they were missing by not being up close to see the projections. They left afterwards to go back and pack up their things.

Back in our room we were not packed up at all. But we were not in a hurry the next day so I didn't worry about the room and went straight to bed!

I will be back to post about the drive home!
 
Saturday, March 10 - Check out day

Friday afternoon DH and I had briefly talked about packing up the next morning and stopping by Epcot on our way out of town to use up some rider switch passes and the last day on our tickets. We had purchased the tickets back in June from an Undercover Tourist Sale, buy 4 days get 3 free! But by the time we woke up Saturday morning we were pretty worn out and ready to just head for home. We have never done a park on departure day but one day we will I hope!

Anyhow, we slept in the next morning until about 7:30 and got up to get things ready. My parents were leaving around 8:30 so we met them in the lobby to say good-bye. While in the lobby I planned to give out some unused rider switch passes. I had one for Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom and gave that to a family and they were really appreciative as they said they were heading there that day. As we headed back to our room I heard a family talking about the Flower and Garden festival that day so I gave them a rider switch for Soarin and Test Track. I forgot to mention earlier in my posts that back on Thursday, as we were walking on the Boardwalk a family gave us a Soarin' rider switch pass. We never used it so we passed it on to someone else. :)

After my parents left, DH took the big boys to clean out the car while I headed back to the room to finish packing up. He came back with a luggage cart and we managed to fit everything on it and we headed down to the car. I waited in the drive up area with the luggage while he went to pull the car around. It was a busy day and we chose a bad place to park the luggage cart and a bellman asked us to move it (nicely of course). I had the 4 kids and it was difficult to move the cart as I was concerned with DS2 running into the street. So a nice man ended up moving the cart for me. Then a bellman came over and helped us load the car. He seemed surprised by the amount of luggage and even more surprised when we managed to fit it all in our Expedetion EL. I'm pretty sure DH gave him a nice tip.

We were on the road by 10am and planned to drive to somewhere between Atlanta and Chattanooga. I spent the first part of our drive checking Priceline Express for a good hotel deal. Every time I would try and book one it would be too late and the deal would be gone. It was frustrating. I spent over 2 hours looking and ended up booking a Days Inn in Dalton, GA (carpet capital of the world) for what looked like $62 but with taxes and fees ended up being $82. Around noon we all needed to use the restroom and were getting hungry so we stopped at the next rest stop...and there was a surprise waiting for us...my parents were at the same rest stop! They had left over 1 hour before us but had gotten lost trying to get out of Disney World! It can be so confusing! The kids and my parents were super excited. We were going to eat lunch at the rest stop but when we got the bread out and discovered it was moldy we literally tossed that idea in the trash. We all decided to hit the road again and we found a Chick Fil A. It was busy for a Saturday afternoon and DH hates ordering from the drive thru for our whole family. So I placed an order on their mobile app and went inside to pick it up. We enjoyed our Chick Fil A in the car while continuing our drive.

I spent the next part of the drive downloading all the photopass pictures to my phone and that's when I discovered I had the wrong Jedi Training photos. I found a number to call and they were able to fix it for me. The drive with the kids was pretty uneventful, they were exhausted and slept part of the time! We pulled into Dalton around 7pm. Pizza sounded really good for dinner so I placed another mobile order with Pizza Hut and we stopped there to pick it up and then headed to our hotel to eat. The Days Inn looked pretty nice on the outside but our room was on the back side of the MOTEL and it was a bit dark and creepy. The rooms were very clean but I would not stay there if I was traveling without DH. We ate and got the kids to bed then we headed to bed ourselves!

Next Up . . . our final travel day and arrival at home...plus some final thoughts and sharing our budget!
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top