June 2017 Trip Report – WDW vets reflect on their first DLR trip

Oh my goodness. @Khokhonutt I just read through your whole trip report! It was fantastic! We just went to WDW 10 days ago and we're already in planning mode for our first ever DLR trip in 2019. I loved all your pictures and tips! I totally teared up reading about your Footsteps tour and getting to sit in the firetruck seat. I love to see/hear/learn anything I can about Walt and his legacy. Definitely adding that to my to do list! Now I think I'll do my own trip report! (I'm still a newbie here even though I joined the boards a few years ago.)
 
Oh my goodness. @Khokhonutt I just read through your whole trip report! It was fantastic! We just went to WDW 10 days ago and we're already in planning mode for our first ever DLR trip in 2019. I loved all your pictures and tips! I totally teared up reading about your Footsteps tour and getting to sit in the firetruck seat. I love to see/hear/learn anything I can about Walt and his legacy. Definitely adding that to my to do list! Now I think I'll do my own trip report! (I'm still a newbie here even though I joined the boards a few years ago.)

Thank you so much for the kind words. I've always been a fan of trip reports, myself. I learn a lot on the discussion boards, but many of the ideas and tips I learn come from the experiences of others. And as you've said, the pictures are a great way to see things you might not see otherwise. Good luck with your planning for DLR. We're already kicking around ideas for our next Disney trip, as soon as the kids figure out their wedding plans. :)
 
Thank you so much for the kind words. I've always been a fan of trip reports, myself. I learn a lot on the discussion boards, but many of the ideas and tips I learn come from the experiences of others. And as you've said, the pictures are a great way to see things you might not see otherwise. Good luck with your planning for DLR. We're already kicking around ideas for our next Disney trip, as soon as the kids figure out their wedding plans. :)

That's awesome. You know you're gonna have to share their wedding pictures right?! LOL! They're adorable.
 
I am quite the lurker usually, but just had to say what a great trip report! We are in SC and have been to WDW literally a thousand times. We are headed to Disneyland in September for the first time, and this has given us a lot of helpful information as well as built up the excitement even more! Thanks for this!
 


I am quite the lurker usually, but just had to say what a great trip report! We are in SC and have been to WDW literally a thousand times. We are headed to Disneyland in September for the first time, and this has given us a lot of helpful information as well as built up the excitement even more! Thanks for this!

Thanks! We really had a great time. I'm glad the info helped on both counts. I hope y'all have a wonderful trip as well.
 
Just read your whole trip report! Love it! We're in north Texas and considering a road trip to California next summer with the kids. I thought my drive was long! We've never done a road trip outside of Texas with the kids, but they will be 12 and 15 next summer which makes things so much easier than a long drive with little kids. I think they'd get a real kick out of Route 66 and I have got to stand on the corner of Winslow, AZ because I am a HUGE Eagles fan. I think DH would really appreciate Disneyland after the madness that is WDW over and over again.
 
Just read your whole trip report! Love it! We're in north Texas and considering a road trip to California next summer with the kids. I thought my drive was long! We've never done a road trip outside of Texas with the kids, but they will be 12 and 15 next summer which makes things so much easier than a long drive with little kids. I think they'd get a real kick out of Route 66 and I have got to stand on the corner of Winslow, AZ because I am a HUGE Eagles fan. I think DH would really appreciate Disneyland after the madness that is WDW over and over again.

I haven't fully researched Route 66 attractions, but I'd think you could make a great trip hitting all kinds of spots. There are so many little cool places that we didn't have time for this trip. I think I've mentioned it on this thread, or maybe our pre-trip report, riding Route 66 on my motorcycle, at least most of it, is a bucket list item for me. We'll do it one day.

I think the key to any road trip is knowing everyone's limits. When we traveled with our kids we typically made a point of stopping for a sit down lunch and dinner. Just the time off the road, sitting in a different position refreshes you. That's tough to do for us in the summers if we have the dogs, so we end up either at places with outside dining or just eating in the car.

We are definitely in love with the Disneyland Resort. I feel like we got a ton done without really running around crazy or doing a ton of planning. Yet, we also keep coming up with things we didn't do that we have on the list for next time. We'll head back to WDW at some point, but I can't say for sure that we won't do DLR one more time before WDW.

Have fun with your plans. I'm sure you can tell, I love planning road trips. I can daydream on a map all day and the reality of most of my trips has far exceeded expectations almost every time. Especially on my trips out west, I am constantly in awe of the scenery.
 


Travelling west is our favorite. You gain hours as you go west. You gain speed limits as you go west (I love the 75 mph speed limit signs. I call them my favorite welcome signs.). And we're usually full of energy at the beginning of the trip.

This is so true for me, too! Coming back home and "losing" time, having to slow down, and being wiped out (plus knowing that vacation is coming to an end) is so difficult.

I'm really enjoying this report so far. We drove much of Route 66 last year, but we missed both Standing on the Corner in Winslow Arizona and the Wigwams due to time constraints.
 
LOVED this TR! You guys look like you're having so much fun! And how awesome for your daughter too!

I'm a Veteran too - Canadian Navy. Will they allow Vets from foreign services at the Flag Ceremony? I try to carry at least one coin on me at all times, just in case a game starts up.
 
LOVED this TR! You guys look like you're having so much fun! And how awesome for your daughter too!

I'm a Veteran too - Canadian Navy. Will they allow Vets from foreign services at the Flag Ceremony? I try to carry at least one coin on me at all times, just in case a game starts up.

Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the report. We truly did have a great time.

As far as the flag ceremony goes. There's really not much formality to it. We were very blessed to be the family chosen to receive a coin, but that wasn't even part of the official ceremony. It happened before. The larger ceremony is for anyone interested in watching the ceremony and honoring the flag as it's lowered. The service recognition is strictly voluntary and no one was checking IDs that I saw. :) They just say that they welcome any service member to come forward as they play your services song. I'm sure some folks didn't come up for their own reasons. Personally I'd welcome any vet interested in participating to stand at my side.
 
I always have a coin on me too - the one I carry now is actually from a Brother in the beard club I am a member of. He is a USMC vet and had them made up for all of the Chapter Members. The ones I received in the Army are kept safe with some other treasured items from my service.
 
I always have a coin on me too - the one I carry now is actually from a Brother in the beard club I am a member of. He is a USMC vet and had them made up for all of the Chapter Members. The ones I received in the Army are kept safe with some other treasured items from my service.

The coin I carry every day is one I got for all 4 of us, when my daughter graduated basic. It's kind of a general service coin I wanted all four of us to have. It's funny, the whole coin thing wasn't what it is now when I was in the Air Force. My kids have them and have gotten them through their careers, but I never received one in my 10 years in. I don't know if it's something the other services did all along that the Air Force picked up, but I think they're a cool thing.
 
The coin I carry every day is one I got for all 4 of us, when my daughter graduated basic. It's kind of a general service coin I wanted all four of us to have. It's funny, the whole coin thing wasn't what it is now when I was in the Air Force. My kids have them and have gotten them through their careers, but I never received one in my 10 years in. I don't know if it's something the other services did all along that the Air Force picked up, but I think they're a cool thing.

That is a very cool family & service memento to have. I have only received 4 coins in my life - and only two of them were when I was active duty. They are a totally "right place/right time" type of thing so it is easy to go thru a career without getting one. I have a friend who was an AF Special Operator and he has a whole stack of them because he was in an MOS that had him in harms way a lot and the officers that came thru handed them out to them a LOT!

Honestly I care a lot more about the coin I carry and the other coin I received as a veteran from a friend than I do about the two I received in service. Sounds like the same situation for you.
 
I'm loving this TR so far, but haven't even made it past your first day in the park yet. I got distracted by your daughter's sunglasses. :laughing: I just have to know, did she get those during your trip? And where? I'm obsessed with them, and will be doing a partial day trip in about a week and a half. I'd love to grab some then.
 
I'm loving this TR so far, but haven't even made it past your first day in the park yet. I got distracted by your daughter's sunglasses. :laughing: I just have to know, did she get those during your trip? And where? I'm obsessed with them, and will be doing a partial day trip in about a week and a half. I'd love to grab some then.

Thanks! Haha! Yes, she got them at World of Disney in Downtown Disney our first day in the area.
 
Thanks for your trip report. I was debating between May and June next year, but I think I have now decided on June. I like the longer hours, but I was worried it would be too crowded. But your report sounded great. It doesn't seem like the crowds were that bad.
 
Awesome TR! We are heading to DLR in about two months, so I'm in uber-planning mode. It's kind of a last minute trip, so your report is very helpful.
 
Thanks for your trip report. I was debating between May and June next year, but I think I have now decided on June. I like the longer hours, but I was worried it would be too crowded. But your report sounded great. It doesn't seem like the crowds were that bad.

We planned for June both because that's when my wife is out of school and because we wanted to minimize closed attractions, during the peak months. We were prepared for the crowds to be bad, but it really wasn't bad at all. I honestly don't know if that's because we were expecting the worst, based on spring breaks and summers we've been to WDW or if crowds were just lower than usual. Either way it worked well for us, I hope the same for you.

Awesome TR! We are heading to DLR in about two months, so I'm in uber-planning mode. It's kind of a last minute trip, so your report is very helpful.

I'm glad it helped. We had a great time.
 

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