Our Thanksgiving Fantasy - Nov 22-Dec 1 - COMPLETE!!

[jecskc]

Fantastic report as usual!

Glad to see you have the smaller splint now....Hope your ankle continues to heal quickly.

Jill in CO

Thanks Jill!! I am hoping to be able to ditch the crutches by next week!! Woo Hoo!!!

 

[annie170]

The last day is always so sad. Love the Christmas decorations!

Thanks again for sharing your trip in such a timely manner.

I hope your recovery continues moving forward and you're back to normal soon. Keep us posted!

 

[jecskc]

The last day is always so sad. Love the Christmas decorations!

Thanks again for sharing your trip in such a timely manner.

I hope your recovery continues moving forward and you're back to normal soon. Keep us posted!

Thanks Annie !! I am so glad you kept me company.

 

[wiigirl]

Great pics!

 

[jecskc]

Great pics!

Thanks wiigirl!!

 

[afwdwfan]

A little bit of MK seems like a great way to wrap up the trip. It looks like it was a fun way for your family to enjoy Thanksgiving.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[jenseib]

The best way to end your vacation is a little extra doze of Disney! It was a fabulous trip and I can't wait to hear about your next adventure!!!

 

[jecskc]

A little bit of MK seems like a great way to wrap up the trip. It looks like it was a fun way for your family to enjoy Thanksgiving.

I just love WDW during Thanksgiving. My family wants to go back to Gatlinburg this year. GATLINBURG !!! Words fail me. DH will change his mind when he finds out how much it will be to rent a decent cabin during that time when we could just use DVC points and go back to WDW.

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for reading and following along. I really appreciate it

The best way to end your vacation is a little extra doze of Disney! It was a fabulous trip and I can't wait to hear about your next adventure!!!

I think the best trips end with MK. DD said to make sure our last day is an MK day this coming trip.

 

[afwdwfan]

I just love WDW during Thanksgiving. My family wants to go back to Gatlinburg this year. GATLINBURG !!! Words fail me. DH will change his mind when he finds out how much it will be to rent a decent cabin during that time when we could just use DVC points and go back to WDW.

I really do love going to Gatlinburg, but you're absolutely right! What it costs for what you get definitely makes the cost of a Disney trip more appealing. Sure, you're spending more up front to go to Disney, but there's a lot more included in that.

 

[DSRMary]

We are going to Gatlinburg this summer for the first time. Any suggestions on what to do there?

 

[emmysmommy]

Susan I hope your ankle is healing well and that you can ditch the splint soon. Did you get your stitches out today? Bummer to be confined but I loved your FB post about the earthquake.

How sad to see your trip end. I just read through the last few updates to get caught up and I would agree, this seemed like a very memorable trip with the cruise sandwiched between Disney before and after.

I look forward to the next one!

 

[jecskc]

I really do love going to Gatlinburg, but you're absolutely right! What it costs for what you get definitely makes the cost of a Disney trip more appealing. Sure, you're spending more up front to go to Disney, but there's a lot more included in that.

I agree. I just like Disney better. Gatlinburg sort of trashy edge to it that I just don't prefer. I dunno. Everything at Disney is easier to get to.

We are going to Gatlinburg this summer for the first time. Any suggestions on what to do there?

There is a lot to do. We like Dollywood. The go cart places are fun. The alpine slide is fun at Ober Gatlinburg. There is this roller coaster thing that just opened recently. Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster. I want to try that. There is a Great Wolf Lodge there. Ripley's Aquarium, WonderWorks. that kind of stuff. Someone posted photos of a place where they had one of those surfing pools. It was in Pigeon Forge. Lemme google. Wilderness at the Smokies. Looks like a fun place. There are ziplines, horseback riding. Lots to do. But be willing to part with some cash. None of that stuff is cheap. But neither is Disney - amiright?

Susan I hope your ankle is healing well and that you can ditch the splint soon. Did you get your stitches out today? Bummer to be confined but I loved your FB post about the earthquake.

How sad to see your trip end. I just read through the last few updates to get caught up and I would agree, this seemed like a very memorable trip with the cruise sandwiched between Disney before and after.

I look forward to the next one!

Thanks Brenda !! Yes!! Got the coast off today and stitches out. It feels good!! That earthquake was nuts. We don't normally get that kind of thing around here. Our trip was amazing. Thanks so much for following along!!

Susan

 

[Pixie Princess]

All caught up!

My DD is obsessed with Frozen, too. Her dance recital theme this year is "Let it Go" Second year with a Disney theme. Woot! Of course the studio director isn't familiar with the film, just the music. The girls in the Junior Company begged to dance to the Demi Lovato version of "Let it Go" (that warrants NOT being able to dance to the song in my book), and one of the girls lent the director the CD in order to persuade her. Well several of the girls in my DD's group are fans of the film and lobbied to get to dance to the proper version of the song. For awhile it looked they were going to be able to, but the director has decided against it. I have never wanted to go all dance mom until this moment. The original version of Let it Go is SOOO up this directors alley. It is exactly the kind of song she like to choreograph lyrical pieces to. My DDs group doesn't have to dance to it during the other group's recital (DDs group performs at every recital). They have six other dances to choose from. Sorry, rant over.

Has your DD been to the sing along Frozen in the theater yet? I was dreading going and having to listen to a group of girls singing loudly and off-key, but I think it was worse that NO ONE sang...except me and my DD.

Okay back to your vacay. It looks like you and the DH had a lot of good alone time. I love that the adult beach at Castaway Cay is named "Serenity Bay." That's funny. I imagine adults running towards it yelling "Serenity now!"

I wonder if AK has check in issues. That is one resort where I've done advance check in and they seemed completely lost. Plus when I tried to get MNSHHP tickets there the concierge was completely clueless about AP discounts. Tried to tell me there was no discount for the night I wanted. Please, I am not an amateur. I got my ticket elsewhere.

Too bad you had such a bad experience with the FP+. Your key card or APs should've worked in the old FP machines in Nov. to get more than the three FP for the day. Of course that is a moot point now. I was very pleasantly surprised by the system. Our MBs worked better than our APs ever did at the entry gates. No problems with the app or changing things around. The tiering and number of FP isn't an issue for us, but I understand for others it is. I feel as Disney gains more experience with the system and the information it puts out that the one park per day, tiering and number of FP a guest can have will all change. Those kinds of restrictions aren't sustainable in the long haul IMO. Hopefully your trip over Spring Break goes better. Be sure to download the upgrade to the MDE app if you haven't already. I've read the upgrade has really helped with the performance of the app.

 

[DSRMary]

I agree. I just like Disney better. Gatlinburg sort of trashy edge to it that I just don't prefer. I dunno. Everything at Disney is easier to get to.



There is a lot to do. We like Dollywood. The go cart places are fun. The alpine slide is fun at Ober Gatlinburg. There is this roller coaster thing that just opened recently. Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster. I want to try that. There is a Great Wolf Lodge there. Ripley's Aquarium, WonderWorks. that kind of stuff. Someone posted photos of a place where they had one of those surfing pools. It was in Pigeon Forge. Lemme google. Wilderness at the Smokies. Looks like a fun place. There are ziplines, horseback riding. Lots to do. But be willing to part with some cash. None of that stuff is cheap. But neither is Disney - amiright?


Thanks so much!! I'll google some of this stuff!!

 

[Tricia's mom]

Another great TR !!!! Thanks for taking us on the ride with you.

Speedy recovery !

Can't wait for the next one !

 

[jecskc]

All caught up!

My DD is obsessed with Frozen, too. Her dance recital theme this year is "Let it Go" Second year with a Disney theme. Woot! Of course the studio director isn't familiar with the film, just the music. The girls in the Junior Company begged to dance to the Demi Lovato version of "Let it Go" (that warrants NOT being able to dance to the song in my book), and one of the girls lent the director the CD in order to persuade her. Well several of the girls in my DD's group are fans of the film and lobbied to get to dance to the proper version of the song. For awhile it looked they were going to be able to, but the director has decided against it. I have never wanted to go all dance mom until this moment. The original version of Let it Go is SOOO up this directors alley. It is exactly the kind of song she like to choreograph lyrical pieces to. My DDs group doesn't have to dance to it during the other group's recital (DDs group performs at every recital). They have six other dances to choose from. Sorry, rant over.

Aw - bummer that they didn't use the song. I would only have allowed Idina's version though. Who told Demi she could sing, anyway? Well she is better than I am so there's that.

Has your DD been to the sing along Frozen in the theater yet? I was dreading going and having to listen to a group of girls singing loudly and off-key, but I think it was worse that NO ONE sang...except me and my DD.

No. I am still in "not getting out much" stage so we haven't done much at all since my surgery. Actually, this was the first day I drove anywhere since then.

Okay back to your vacay. It looks like you and the DH had a lot of good alone time. I love that the adult beach at Castaway Cay is named "Serenity Bay." That's funny. I imagine adults running towards it yelling "Serenity now!"

LOL - I loved that episode. So funny. We never got a chance to get over there. I am sure I would like it, but I also think it is great fun to watch all of the families and kids. It is a lovely place. You would LOVE it!!

I wonder if AK has check in issues. That is one resort where I've done advance check in and they seemed completely lost. Plus when I tried to get MNSHHP tickets there the concierge was completely clueless about AP discounts. Tried to tell me there was no discount for the night I wanted. Please, I am not an amateur. I got my ticket elsewhere.

This was the first time we ever had trouble checking in anywhere. I am sure I totally threw them off when I said we already had magic bands and I wouldn't accept another set for my family. We just don't need that many. So - no. You can keep them. And that whole MB thing that day was just a PIA. Still not a fan.

Too bad you had such a bad experience with the FP+. Your key card or APs should've worked in the old FP machines in Nov. to get more than the three FP for the day. Of course that is a moot point now. I was very pleasantly surprised by the system. Our MBs worked better than our APs ever did at the entry gates. No problems with the app or changing things around. The tiering and number of FP isn't an issue for us, but I understand for others it is. I feel as Disney gains more experience with the system and the information it puts out that the one park per day, tiering and number of FP a guest can have will all change. Those kinds of restrictions aren't sustainable in the long haul IMO. Hopefully your trip over Spring Break goes better. Be sure to download the upgrade to the MDE app if you haven't already. I've read the upgrade has really helped with the performance of the app.

I will look into the upgrade. Our MB's were 50% - hit or miss. Again - not a fan. Plus, they make my wrist itch. Same with DD and DS. Not a fan.

Thanks so much!! I'll google some of this stuff!!

Glad I could help, Mary!! Let me know if you have any more questions.

Another great TR !!!! Thanks for taking us on the ride with you.

Thanks Janet!! So glad you followed along!!

Speedy recovery !

It is going well. Much better than expected.

Can't wait for the next one !

Me either!! Maybe you need to write one!! It would be funny!!

Susan

 

[jecskc]

Giving this one last bump before it gets shuffled into the "completed" thread. Thanks for reading!!

Susan

 

[scottny]

Nice jungle cruise pics.
It was a great report and thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[Pixie Princess]

I will look into the upgrade. Our MB's were 50% - hit or miss. Again - not a fan. Plus, they make my wrist itch. Same with DD and DS. Not a fan.
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Make everyone band covers out of some of that great fabric you have. It makes a big difference! I wasn't bothered by them, but out in the heat when the band would shift, I would notice that the previous area the band rested was a little sweaty. That was all the excuse I needed to get some covers.

I would probably opt for some sort of moisture wicking fabric over a cotton fabric, but as long as the fabric is comfortable to wear that's what matters. Not that you need it, but there are patterns out on the interwebs for those who want to make their own.

 

[jecskc]

Nice jungle cruise pics.
It was a great report and thanks for sharing it with us.

Thanks for following along, Scot!!!

Make everyone band covers out of some of that great fabric you have. It makes a big difference! I wasn't bothered by them, but out in the heat when the band would shift, I would notice that the previous area the band rested was a little sweaty. That was all the excuse I needed to get some covers.

I would probably opt for some sort of moisture wicking fabric over a cotton fabric, but as long as the fabric is comfortable to wear that's what matters. Not that you need it, but there are patterns out on the interwebs for those who want to make their own.

I will have to check that out. Now, my MDE account is completely gone and I have to set everything back up again. Thankfully, I have all of the ADR #'s saved. Just so you know .... I am NOT a fan of this new system ....