JAMBO! The Murphy's are LIVE from WDW & AKL 3/18-3/27

[TigrLvsPooh]

The Murphy's are LIVE from Walt Disney World
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival
PLUS
Erika's birthday at Universal Orlando!!!

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Welcome everyone to another LIVE trip report! We're just a few days away from leaving on our next Disney adventure and I'm so excited to bring you all along with us! I always like to get this report up a few days ahead so people can bookmark/subscribe to follow along from the beginning. I'll post pics all throughout the day and give reports on the parks, our hotel, our meals, crowds, new stuff, etc. If you have questions or want me to investigate or photograph anything in particular don't be afraid to ask.

The Plan:
We'll be flying down to Orlando on Friday (3/18) and staying 9 nights total (1 at POR and then 8 at AKL CL) with our APs and TIW card. (no dining plan) We've got ADRs at BOG, Le Cellier, CP, Teppan Edo, Ohana, 50's PT, Biergarten, Boma, Nine Dragons, and Via Napoli.

As room, ticket, and package prices steadily increase we find our APs have become even more valuable! Not only for park entry but also for our room discounts and TIW discount card. I'm starting to see the "empty nest" on the horizon, Nic will be a senior next year, so I want our last handful of vacations together to be amazing! My boys have such busy schedules these WDW trips are almost the only quality time I get to spend with them. I can't wait to lock arms and walk down Main Street... the three musketeers! (if you've seen the movie The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Jude Law that's how I always picture the boys and I)

We'll be hitting all 4 parks plus one day (3/24) at Universal for my birthday and Harry Potter fix! We have APs there as well, I'm on the monthly payment plan which I love.

I think I'm in denial that I'm turning 43. It seems further from 40 and closer to 45, which feels closer to 50. Add that on top of kids who are taller than me now and practically adults themselves I think I might be near a mid-life crisis. But Disney keeps me young at heart and I can look forward to my Florida retirement and being a full-time Disney park junkie.


The pics I post during the day will mostly be iPhone 6S+. And I also post on instagram at: ekmurphy12 So come follow me there too. Sorry I don't have snapchat, haven't figure that one out yet.

I also have a Nikon that I use and those pics typically upload to photobucket at night. Depending on the speed of wifi in our room. Here is the public album to follow along: http://s59.photobucket.com/user/ekmurphy12/library/Disney World March 2016 It's empty right now but will soon be very full of Disney's best eye candy!

If you're curious about CL (club level) and want to find out more about it, come check out my CL info thread on the Resort board: http://www.disboards.com/threads/disneys-club-level-cl-information-and-questions.3414590/

I guess that's all for now, thanks so much for following along with us, I love the DIS and love doing these reports. I've been doing them here for 15 years if you can believe it!

Now back to packing!!!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I see that you decided to go back to AKL. You must really like it there.

 

[TJA]

Oh yay! Our trips will overlap, and I didn't know you were staying your first night at POR. We are leaving on the 20th and staying our first 3 nights at POR and doing lots of park time, then moving to RPC for lots of relaxing time! I'll look in this thread while I'm in Disney too, and also post in the CL thread about RPC when we get there on the 23rd. I'll be anxious to read all about your AKL CL stay!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

I see that you decided to go back to AKL. You must really like it there.

I love it! Plus I like to rotate around. Last trip was GF, before that BC, so it was time to loop back around. Also looking forward to the Poly in July!!!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Oh yay! Our trips will overlap, and I didn't know you were staying your first night at POR. We are leaving on the 20th and staying our first 3 nights at POR and doing lots of park time, then moving to RPC for lots of relaxing time! I'll look in this thread while I'm in Disney too, and also post in the CL thread about RPC when we get there on the 23rd. I'll be anxious to read all about your AKL CL stay!

That POR night was a late addition due to flight pricing. Saturday was just so expensive. It was cheaper to fly Friday and add a night.
Enjoy RPC! Can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[pas130]

TJA can post and it will be a double live report!

Erika I'm thrilled for you, this vacation sounds amazing. I hear you with the birthdays...funny story, I decided to let my grey hair just grow out because I've accepted and embraced it....a month later, not so much, I'll be coloring it on Thursday lol. Can't wait for all the pics, and I'll try not to change back to akl

 

[Ruth B]

So looking forward to your report. Have a great time.

 

[mrsap]

Have a great trip! I'm really looking forward to seeing your AKL CL pictures!! I'm curious to see the evening offerings! Enjoy!

 

[mmmears]

Have a great time! We love AKL, and I hope you have a great time there!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

TJA can post and it will be a double live report!

Erika I'm thrilled for you, this vacation sounds amazing. I hear you with the birthdays...funny story, I decided to let my grey hair just grow out because I've accepted and embraced it....a month later, not so much, I'll be coloring it on Thursday lol. Can't wait for all the pics, and I'll try not to change back to akl

Hey, I give you credit for trying! I can barely stand mine past 4 weeks and I'm back in for color. Especially with my dark hair. I refuse to go grey until I'm at least 65. Maybe more.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Have a great trip! I'm really looking forward to seeing your AKL CL pictures!! I'm curious to see the evening offerings! Enjoy!

I'll try to take as many pics of the lounge as I can!

 

[Cotillard]

I look forward to following along! Loved AKL CL a few years back.

 

[saintrob]

I'm looking forward to reading about AKL CL. We've stayed there but not CL and it's next on our list.

 

[Ruth B]

Hi Erika, I would be interested to see if you hear anything about the new sunrise safari that was spoken about on the Cl thread. Hopefully there will be some info released soon. Have a great trip! X

 

[lyn213]

I love your live reports! It is such a great Disney fix! I'm excited to follow along! Have a great trip!!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Hi Erika, I would be interested to see if you hear anything about the new sunrise safari that was spoken about on the Cl thread. Hopefully there will be some info released soon. Have a great trip! X

I will definitely ask!

 

[PackYourPixieDust]

I love the Holiday reference. I also love that your boys seem to enjoy their time at Disney with you. I have a toddler that we take a lot now and I hope that magic continues!

 

[HockeyMomR]

Hooray! Joining in. I so love your live reports!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Yay another live report! Looking forward to it to keep me busy while I wait 30 more long days til I get there.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Packing is almost done and I just got a pedicure, which already feels like a vacation! There's snow and cold headed this way for the weekend so we are getting out just in time!

Now I'm debating DME luggage assistance or not. We land at 5:20 PM so our room will already be ready. I think we'll just grab our own luggage so we can change clothes for the evening without having to wait for delivery. I've got us down to 3 suitcases total so it won't be hard to manage it.

48 hours until we head to the airport!