A couple of years ago, if you would have asked if a winter destination was on my bucket list, I would have thought you were crazy. I am not a fan of cold temperatures, nor do we ski, snowboard, or enjoy playing in the snow. However, a couple of friends went to Wyoming with Adventures by Disney during the winter, and it looked amazing. The scenery was breathtaking. There were other things to do besides skiing and snowboarding. With the right clothes, we could brave it! It is not like the snow is foreign to us. We are New Englanders! Now that we have decided to go, the question became when. I was hoping for the week between Christmas and the New Year. Well, then 2020 became a horror movie, and that got put on hold. We have quite a few things scheduled for 2021, so it looks like it maybe 2022 before we go. In the meantime, here is destination number 8 of the Travel Bucket List Series- Winter in Wyoming.
How to get there? – From Boston, we will fly into Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jackson Hole is made up of Grand Teton National Park and the town of Jackson. The majority of our time will be spent in Jackson Hole, but the first stop, Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone National Park
An hour away, Yellowstone is part of the National Parks system and was the first National Park in the United States. Yellowstone is made up of 3,500 square miles and spreads into three states, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. It has enormous canyons, forests, alpine rivers and geysers, the most famous of all, Old Faithful. It is home to plenty of wildlife, such as bears, coyotes, wolves, bison, elk, antelope, and more. Here are a few fun facts about Yellowstone.
- It is the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.
- It has more than half the world’s geysers (Over 500).
- There are 67 species of mammals in Yellowstone.
- There are 290 waterfalls.
- It has roughly 1,000-3,000 earthquakes a year.
We will stay at the Mammoth Hot Springs and Cabins for the first few nights of our trip. The hotel underwent an extensive renovation in 2019. It consists of premium rooms, suites, and cabins. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar, and a deli.
As I mentioned above, we do not go skiing or snowboarding. So what exactly is there for us to do in Yellowstone in the winter? I found several activities.
Old Faithful Winter Day Tour- with Snowshoeing
From the hotel, board a snow coach and make your way toward the magnificent geyser. Old Faithful was the first geyser in the park to be named back in 1870. It is highly predictable and erupts every 44 mins to two hours since 2000. It is a must-see. Along the way, the coach stops for wildlife viewing and at such sights like the Fountain Paint Pots. Once at Old Faithful, you have a couple of hours to explore and take in the magnificent wonder. There are several ways to explore the basin. You may walk or grab a pair of cross country skis or snowshoes and have some fun. I am excited to snowshoe.
Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone’s thermal areas. Very few visit this area in the winter, and it is touted as one of Yellowstone’s best-kept secrets. The only way to see this area in the winter is by snowmobiles or snow coach. The trees are covered in snow, the snow is deep, and from everything I read, it is all so very magical. There are several things to see here, such as
- Steamboat Geyser: The world’s tallest active geyser, In the Back Basin, you’ll find the world’s tallest active geyser. Eruptions are rare and unpredictable, so I hope we time it just right.
- Porcelain Basin: This is home to Ledge Geyser, which erupts at an angle, and the ever steaming Black Growler Vent.
- Back Basin: a forested version of the Porcelain Basin and home to the Steamboat Geyser.
Winter Wildlife Tour
As a family of animal lovers, how could we not put this tour on our list? This tour explores the Northern Range, where there are wide open grassy valleys that, in the winter, are covered with less snow than other locations in the park, making it a bit easier to get to that food source. It is home to bison, elk, coyote, wolves, eagles, bighorn, and many more.
Another must go for me while in Yellowstone is a photography tour. Using a handpicked itinerary, it takes you through Yellowstone and shows you how to capture the best photographs.
Jackson Hole
After a few action-packed days, it will be time to head back to Jackson Hole. We plan to stay at The Wort Hotel. The Wort Hotel is Jackson Hole’s finest boutique hotel. It has 55 rooms, including five sophisticated western-themed suites.
Located in the center of town, the hotel is on the list of National Registry of Historic Places. It is within walking distance of numerous shops and bars.
Things to do in Jackson Hole
Oh, what to do first? With the Grand Teton National Park and the Snake River right there, the outdoor activities are endless.
Sunset Sleigh Ride– Take a sleigh ride along the Snake River as the sun sets over the Teton Mountains. The ride includes a stop at a Tipi Camp where a roaring fire and appetizers and drinks are served.
Sleigh Ride through the National Elk Refuge– thousands of elk migrate to the refuge each year, and the sleigh ride gives plenty of opportunities to see these animals up close and personal.
Snow King Mountain– Known as the in-town playground for adults and kids alike, this mountain resort offers skiing, tubing, snowboarding, and its winter cowboy coaster. There is something to do for everyone.
Jackson Hole Playhouse – The dinner shows here are not to be missed. I hear the food and entertainment are excellent.
Iditarod-Style Dog Sled Excursion– When we were in the Yukon, we experienced summer dog sledding. Since then, I have wanted to try it in the winter. This is a must-do for my family and me.
Granite Hot Springs– Relax in the steaming, rejuvenating waters of the Granite Hot Springs. Take in the beautiful Gros Ventre Mountains and the towering pines that surround you as you float, swim, and soak in these natural hot springs.
Snowshoeing at Grand Teton National Park– The park offers a two-hour guided snowshoe hike that meets at Taggart Lake Trailhead. Listen as a range talks about winter ecology and snow science.
After seeing all that Wyoming has to offer in the winter, I know we will be inspired to come back in the summer. I guess that means the travel bucket list continues to grow. Not a bad thing, right?
Are you interested in my other bucket list trips? Check them out and leave a comment as to which one you would like to experience first.
Welcome! I am glad you stopped by. Grab a drink, sit down and get ready to explore Gatlinburg, TN, the 6th destination in my Travel Bucket List Series.
Gatlinburg is considered the heart of the Smoky Mountains. Once a dirt road, now is the most visited mountain town in the area. Incorporated in 1945, 2020 marks 75 years, and we are so excited to visit this summer and join in on the celebrations! Gatlinburg is a 14-15 hour drive from our home in Massachusetts. My husband is not a big fan of road trips. The long hours in the car are not his idea of fun. To help make the ROAD trip part of this trip enjoyable, we plan to make a couple stops both down and back. The first stop is Natural Bridge, VA.
Natural Bridge, VA, is an unincorporated community of Rockbridge County. It sits in the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley and on the edge of the Blue Ridge mountains. It is home to the enormous rock bridge, The Natural Bridge. The bridge serves as a gateway to Natural Bridge State Park. In the state park, one will find the beautiful Cedar Creek Trail and the Monacan Indian Living History Village. There is also Natural Bridge Caverns, museums, and restaurants that surround this beautiful park.
We are spending two nights in Natural Bridge. I made it easy and booked us a room at the Natural Bridge Hotel. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and close to The Nature Bridge and the Natural Bridge Caverns, it seems like the perfect place to lay our weary heads for a couple of nights..
Gatlinburg
We will arrive in Gatlinburg that Sunday and plan on spending five days/nights exploring the city, neighboring towns, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Our home for the new few days is an adorable cabin located in the heart of Gatlinburg. A friend recommended Mountain Shadow Rentals & Resort.
Here is the description of the of cabin taken directly from the website.
“Upon entering, you’ll step into a large great room with spacious living, kitchen, and dining areas. Looking up at the cathedral ceilings from either side gives you a diamond-shaped view of the exterior hillsides. The kitchen features all stainless appliances with the meal prep utensils you need to prepare a variety of meals. The range features a natural gas stovetop for the best cooking experience as well as a gas oven for baking. Directly across from the range is an island with granite countertop and sink. Owners Pat and Ruthie have taken the utmost care in stocking the kitchen with many essentials, including cookware, countertop appliances, silverware, cutlery, utensils, and dishes to make for the most pleasant cooking dining experience in your cabin. A large flat-screen Smart TV sits atop the mountain stone gas log fireplace. Spectrum cable and high-speed internet service are available. There is a closet in the kitchen with a washer and dryer for your convenience. On either side of the great room are bedrooms that are entered through beautifully custom-crafted sliding barn doors. Each bedroom has a flat-screen TV, a king-size bed, a chest of drawers, a closet, a private bathroom, one with a stand-up shower, and a combination tub & shower. From the living area step out onto an expansive covered porch with large outdoor hot tub, relaxing rocking chairs, and a high-quality gas grill. There is so much to enjoy in Cubs in the Treetops. Relax and enjoy when the oohing and aahing are over!”
I can’t wait to have my coffee on the deck looking out at the mountains.
Once in Gatlinburg, we have received a list of recommendations to try. These are our top picks.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. It is 520,000 acres with 244,000 acres of that in the state of Tennessee. There is a lot to see and do. It is known for its waterfalls that you can either hike or drive to. There are over 800 miles of trails and 400 miles of roadway. There is plenty of wildlife to view, such as deer, elk, black bears, birds, and more. The park is filled with historical buildings. Over 90 historic structures—houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools, and grist mills—have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park.
Cades Cove Loop Road
Cades Cove is a valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. Some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing is here. The Cades Cove Loop Road is an 11-mile loop that circles the cove. You can go at your own leisure and pull off the road to see the sites.
Gatlinburg SkyPark & Bridge
We will take the SkyLift to the top of Crockett Mountain and take in the sweeping views. For more amazing views, the brave ones in the family will cross the SkyBridge. The SkyBridge stretches 680 feet across a deep valley in a single span. After the terrifying walk across the bridge, I plan on relaxing in an outdoor chair on the deck and having a drink.
Hollywood Star Cars Museum
My husband is a huge car buff so when I saw this museum listed, I knew I had to weave it into our itinerary. It may be a place that the three boys explore while I go shopping!
Ripley’s Aquarium
The aquarium is the home of a 340-foot underwater tunnel. Come face to face with sharks, sea turtles, swordfish, and other sea animals. Though currently closed due to COVID, we hope to experience their new, indoor Glass Bottom Boat Adventure!
Pigeon Forge
Alcatraz East Crime Museum is a must-see. I am a big true crime fan, and I could spend hours in a museum related to crime. We will dive deep into criminal profiles, the penal system, victims’ stories, crime prevention, forensic science, law enforcement, and our justice system. The museum is 25,000 square feet and includes over 100 interactives.
In addition to the activities above, time permitting we hope to do the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud, Dollywood, and more. There is just so much to do and see.
Asheville, NC & the Biltmore Estate
Before we head home, we are going to spend two days in Asheville, NC. I have always wanted to see the Biltmore and explore the grounds. We have made a reservation at the Omni Grove Park Inn and Spa. A little pampering before a long drive home is exactly what we (I) will need.
My family loves to cruise. It is a fantastic way to see new places. There are many different cruise lines to choose from, but our family prefers Disney. We have been on eight Disney cruises and setting sail again in February. So what is it about Disney that keeps us coming back for more? If you are a follower of this blog, it is no secret that I love anything, Disney. Their service is second to none, and they know what the customer wants before the customer even knows what they want. It is my happy place. So what is it about a Disney cruise that makes it so special? Here are our top six favorite things on a Disney Cruise.
Disney’s Service
Disney’s service is first class. Every cast member goes above and beyond to make sure you have a fantastic time. From the stateroom host/hostesses to guest services to the servers in the dining rooms, each person makes the magic happen in their own way.
Surprised Nicholas with a cake. 
A towel cake! 
Our hostess always playing games with the kids’ stuffed animals. 
Celebrating our anniversary and my first 1/2 marathon.
On our first cruise in 2010, we had the most fantastic server, Oliver. He took such great care of us. In 2018, we were once again sailing on the Disney Magic. I heard he was still working on the ship. I called Disney and requested to be seated at one of his tables. Imagine our surprise, not only was he still on the ship, he remembered us! He was excited to see us and could not believe how the boys had grown. Oliver’s service was top-notch, and his assistant server, Miguel, was just as great.
Entertainment
No one does entertainment like Disney, and the entertainment on the cruise is no exception. From award-winning Broadway shows to comedians, live music, game nights, trivia, dance parties, character interactions, dinner shows, and more, there is always something to do and see. I love catching a show before dinner. Two of my all-time favorites are Frozen and Disney’s Believe. We also enjoy the two dinner shows, Rapunzel’s Royal Table and Tiana’s Place.
Tiana’s Place 
Frozen 
Rapunzel’s Royal Table 
Rapunzel’s Royal Table
Character Interactions
By far, character interactions are one of my favorite things, whether on a cruise or at the parks. On the cruise, it is a bit easier; the lines are shorter and tend to move faster. My kids are more apt to stand in line if they know it will be quick.
Pirate Night
Where else can you dress like a pirate, watch a fun pirate show, and watch fireworks on the high seas? The night starts with a Caribbean themed menu. All the servers dress in pirate-themed clothes. Jack Sparrow and Captain Hook make their appearances. Mickey, Minne, and the gang are dressed in their pirate best. At around 10:00 pm, there is show up on deck, ending with fireworks. Did you know Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line to have fireworks at sea? The night ends with an enormous buffet. It is a great time.
Adult Only Areas
One may think Disney Cruise Line is just for kids, but it is NOT. My husband and I have gone without kids and had a great time. There are plenty of areas where children are not allowed. This would include an adults-only pool, spa, fitness club, bars and clubs, a cafe, and adult-only dining. The adult-only dining is our favorite. Each trip, we make sure to snag a reservation at Palo. Palo serves Italian cuisine in a romantic setting. You can make a reservation for brunch or dinner. We usually go for brunch, though dinner is terrific as well. The food is fantastic. I highly recommend the chicken parmesan.
Adult only deck and pool
Pink Champagne Bar
Photo credit- Touring Plans
Disney’s Private Island
Like most cruise lines, Disney has their little piece of heaven in the Bahamas. Castaway Cay is Disney’s private island. There is a kid’s club, a family beach, and an adult’s only beach. There are cabanas to rent, snorkeling, swimming with stingrays, bike riding, and more. For all you runners, there is 5k upon arrival. There is so much to do here that I feel it needs its own blog post. Be on the lookout for that in the coming weeks. In the meantime, here is a glimpse of this beautiful island.
I could go on and on about the things we love about a Disney Cruise. These are just the highlights. If you are looking for specific information on an itinerary, I have various posts about our Alaskan and Mediterranean cruises here on my blog. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of something and take a look. Happy reading!
On Day 3 of our Alaskan cruise, we spent a day sailing through Endicott Arm Fjords toward Dawes Glacier. Endicott Arm Fjord marks the southern edge of the Fords Terror Wilderness area in Tongass National Forest. It is located about 50 miles south of Juneau. Breathtaking, rugged mountains dominate the region with steep valleys sparkling with high waterfalls. There are pieces of ice scattered throughout the water. Mountain goats, eagles, and bears can be seen in the mountains. Seals sunbathe on top of the chunks of ice and whales can be seen swimming in the waters.
Whale! 
At the head of the fjord is the tidal wave glacier, Dawes Glacier. The glacier is over 600 feet tall and wide. There are approximately 250 feet of ice below the surface of the water.
Fun fact: Why are glaciers blue? According to the USGS, glaciers are blue because the red (long wavelengths) part of white light is absorbed by ice and the blue (short wavelengths) light is transmitted and scattered. The longer the path light travels in ice, the bluer it appears.
Our boat spent a few hours anchored, enjoying the views. There was hot chocolate served on deck. For the adults, a shot of Kaula could be added. It was yummy! Of course, these views made for some great photos with the family and some special friends.
This was probably my favorite sea day of all the sea days I have done on any cruise. The views were breathtaking. Seeing the glacier brought me back in time. It is an experience I will never forget.
Before the start of our Alaskan cruise, we spent two days in Vancouver, BC, exploring. One of the things on our to-do list was a whale watch. We went back and forth on whether to do one in Vancouver or wait until we were in one of the Alaskan ports. We ultimately decided on Vancouver.
I booked the trip through Viator.com. Viator is a marketplace for tours. We used them for a couple of other tours with great success. The cost of the tour was roughly $100.00 per person. It included pick up and drop off at our hotel, bottled water, and snacks. The whale watch itself was to last anywhere between 3-5 hours, depending on the whales.
The tour left from Steveston, a little fishing village, 40 minutes away in the city of Richmond.
In addition to being a little fishing village, Steveston has been the site for various television shows and movies, such as The X-files, Godzilla, and Power Rangers. You may also know it by its other name, Storybrooke. Yes, this was the onsite location for Disney’s hit show Once Upon a Time.
We arrived in this quaint village, checked into our tour and was given some whale watching gear to put on. I must admit, I felt like Gorton the Fisherman!
The boat was a high-speed zodiac vessel. Let me tell you, this boat could move! After we went over a safety drill, we were off. As we were leaving the harbor, we saw this beauty.
The boat took us through the Strait of Georgia all the way down to the San Juan island, which are part of the State of Washington back in the United States. We spent a fair amount of time sailing the strait. Here we saw seals, beautiful scenery and a humpback whale.
After seeing the humpbacks, our guide received a call that there was a pod of Orcas further south. He sped the boat along and we were cruising at a pretty good clip. Soon we were back in the good old USA, off the coast of Bellingham, WA. Here we saw, what we all had been waiting for, Orcas.
Unfortunately, the whales did not breach, so this is all we saw. The photos do not do these creatures justice. I was mesmerized watching them swim across the water.
Our ride back to the port was just as pretty. We continued to see the stunning coastline and islands that make up this beautiful area of the world.
When all was said and done, the tour was about 5 hours. It was a great place to do a whale watch and I would recommend it. I wished we had spent a little more time in town, but we had dinner reservations and tickets to a show over at Canada Place. Next time we will know better.
Two summers ago, we were fortunate enough to take an Alaskan cruise. We sailed on the Disney Wonder, leaving from Vancouver, British Columbia. To date, it has been one of our favorite vacations. The cruise sailed to Dawes Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. In each port, we did some fantastic adventures, but by far our favorite was the Yukon Discovery and Sled Dog Excursion.
In researching excursions for this trip, I found it was a better deal to book directly with a tour company, rather than through the cruise line. There was a significant price difference, and we traveled with a smaller group. I did my research and ended up using Frontier Excursions and Adventures. We were not disappointed. Our driver met us at the dock and escorted us to a minibus. There were a total of 12 people on the bus. It was perfect. Our guide handed us a map of the road we would be traveling and a list of points of interest we would see along the way. We would be following the Klondike Highway, all the way to Emerald Lake. The road passes through three different provinces/states (Alaska, British Columbia, and Yukon). We traveled from Skagway, drove over the White Pass, went alongside the White Pass and Yukon Railway, drove by lakes, mountains, waterfalls, wildlife, and more. We drove through the rain forest, the tundra, and a desert. We made several stops along the way for photos.
The White Pass Summit is located at the U.S./Canadian border. Our guide pulled over (on our way back to Skagway) and took a photo of each family in front of the Welcome to Alaska sign.
At about mile 15, we crossed the border into British Columbia, Canada, and the landscape changed drastically. This area is known as the Tormented Valley. It is unique, and our guide pointed out that it looked lunar.
As we continued, the road took us around Tutshi Lake for almost 10 miles.
At around mile 50 we crossed over into the Yukon. Once in the Yukon, we drove along Windy Arm, which is part of Tagish Lake. We stopped for photos at Bove Island Viewpoint.
After about 2 hours we made it Emerald Lake. Emerald Lake is the most photographed lake in the Yukon. It is affectionately called the jewel of the Yukon. It was gorgeous. The bluish-green waters are the result of light reflecting off layers of marl (a mixture of calcium carbonate and clay) at the bottom of the lake.
After our visit to Emerald Lake, we headed back down to Skagway. However, we still had a few more places to visit. First, we stopped at Caribou Crossing Trading Post. Caribou Crossing is a great place to visit, have a delicious BBQ lunch, take a dog sled ride, pan for gold and more. Dog sledding was the highlight of the day for this dog loving family.
We enjoyed a delicious BBQ lunch, along with the famous grandma’s donuts. After lunch, we were escorted over to attend a Sled Dog 101 presentation. We learned about the history of dog sledding, the athletes and even met a dog or two.
Then we were off to experience our own dog sled ride!
It was a bumpy, but fun ride. These dogs are eager to please and work extremely hard. The ride lasted approximately 15 minutes. Once done, we had a little bit of free time and wandered the property. We played with some puppies and took in the sites. Bill and I spoke to a gentleman about his life in the Yukon. He had moved here from Calgary and loved every moment of it.
Our second stop on the way back to Skagway, was the smallest desert in the world, Carcross Desert. It actually isn’t a desert, but the bed of a glacial lake. It is approximately 1 square mile.
After leaving the desert, we stopped at one of many waterfalls and filled our water bottles up with fresh, cold spring water.
Our last stop before heading back to the ship, the Welcome to Alaska sign of course!
Overall, the journey lasted about 6 hours. Our guide was terrific, and we had great people in our group. I highly recommend Frontier Excursions and Adventures.
Today, I head down to Disney to participate in Disney’s Star Wars Race Weekend. However, before I have another trip to write about, I wanted to do a write up on our 10 day trip we took back in February. Despite being there many times, there were a few firsts and overall it was a different experience than our previous trips.
Our winter break happens to coincide with Disney’s Princess Race Weekend. I figured since I was running, why not make it a family vacation. Unfortunately, Bill could not join us, so it became a Mom and son’s trip, and we had the best time. There was little fighting between the boys. They went with the flow and did not complain about the go, go, go pace I have while at the parks. This was more likely due to how I approached this trip. I scheduled some downtime, which is NOT something I tend to do. However, it worked to my advantage, and we honestly had the best time. Now, I am not going to do a day by day breakdown for you. This is going to be a high-level report of some of the highlights and the new things we tried over the ten days. Are you ready?
The first thing that was new and different for us, was a split stay. We spent half the week at the Polynesian and half the week at the Beach Club. We stayed in the DVC section of each of the resorts. Both are amazing resorts and have their advantages. I love the feel and smells of the Polynesian. I love how it is a monorail resort and its close proximity to the Magic Kingdom. I love how the rooms have the split bathrooms. One is rather large with a toilet, sink and bath. The other has an awesome spa-like shower, sink, and vanity. The room also sleeps 5, which is very nice. We have stayed at the Poly many times and is usually our go-to resort. On Wednesday of that week, we headed over to the Beach Club. I loved the proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The room also sleeps 5, but we did miss having the two bathrooms. The pool was amazing. Of course we love Beaches and Cream and the boys had to try the cupcake milkshakes. If I had to pick one, I am still thinking the Polynesian. Nothing beats the view of the castle!
This trip, I wanted to try some new experiences or revisit a couple of old ones that were a hit or may have changed. We attended two dessert parties, Early Morning Magic at Toy Story Land over at Hollywood Studios and Disney After Hours at the Animal Kingdom. Each event had an additional cost on top of park admission, but I wanted this to be a special trip and in my opinion, each event, but one, was worth the extra money.
The first event was the Happily Ever After Dessert Party at the Magic Kingdom. The party is held at the Tomorrowland Terrace. The cost is $69.00 per adult and $41.00 per child. The price includes all you can eat desserts (we skipped dinner that day), juices, water, soda, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
There were trays of desserts like the ones above. They also had some hummus, cheese, and crackers. They had cookies, brownies, ice cream and make your own s’mores. If you love sweets, this is the place for you After you are done eating, you may, at your leisure, ask to be escorted down to the viewing area. We had seats in the hub area of Magic Kingdom. The viewing area for Happily Ever After is why I spent the money on this event. There is no fighting for a spot. One does not need to arrive 2 hours ahead of time for a good view. The spot is amazing and with a view like this, why not??
We also happen to do the Star Wars Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party at Hollywood Studios. We had attended this back in 2017, but it loved it so much, we had to do it again. I am glad we did. They made some changes to improve the event when I didn’t think the improvements were needed.
The party takes place inside Star Wars Launch Bay. At check-in, you receive a lanyard. The lanyard admits you and your party into the roped off area inside. Once inside, you are assigned to a table. The tables have numbers and under that number is an invitation. Okay, not so much an invitation, more like a demand. 😉
For those of you not familiar with the Stars Wars movies, the Commander would be Kylo Ren. He is a bit intimidating in the movie and here at Disney!
Storm Troopers roam about and interact with the crowd.
The Star Wars Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party includes something that the Magic Kingdom one does not, alcohol. For the price one pays to attend these events, after a long day in the parks, alcohol may be a must for some. Speaking of price, I believe this was the same price as the one in MK. Unfortunately, I did not partake in an adult beverage, as I was running the next day. However, I recall from 2017, and it was delicious. It is the same layout as the one at the Magic Kingdom. There are plenty of desserts, cheese, crackers, hummus, ice cream, and more. The party included soft drinks, coffee, tea, and alcohol. I found this party included a bit more, and the choices were better.
In addition to meeting Kylo and eating to our heart’s content, we were free to explore Launch Bay and see props and memorabilia from all the movies. At around 7:45 pm, we were escorted outside to our reserved seating to watch the show. As we were leaving, we were given a plastic mug, in the shape of Darth Vader’s head. The reserved seating area was fantastic. It had changed from 2017, and it is a much better view. I highly recommend this party, even if you are not a Star Wars fan.
Another first, Early Morning Magic at Toy Story Land. I knew there was no way my children would wait for 2,3 or 4 hours for Slinky Dog. I had heard the Early Morning Magic was fantastic. It includes a hot and cold breakfast and an hour and a half in Toy Story Land with access to all the rides. It was worth every penny. We rode Slinky Dog, Alien Swirling Saucers and Toy Story Mania many times. We also had our photo taken with Woody and Jessie. Around this time, the park had opened for the general public and crowds descended upon us. All I can say, purchase the Early Morning Magic, stat!!! The price for this event is $79.00 for adults and $69.00 for kids.
We did one other special event and that is Disney’s After Hours at the Animal Kingdom. The cost of this event is steep, $125.00 each. The event is from 8:00-11:00 pm certain nights of the week. Both rides in Pandora are open, Dinosaur, Everest, two showings of Rivers of Light and the Tree of Life Awakenings. There are snacks served around the park. The rest of the park is closed. This is a bit of a disappointment, but we knew that going in. The boys mainly wanted to go for access to Flight of Passage. We were able to walk right on that ride several times, as well as all of the other rides. However, we were only there for about an hour, when my youngest started to feel ill. It had been a long, hot day and he was done. Overall, the event was okay. I probably would not do it again due to the lack of areas in the park being open. Next trip, we do plan on doing the after hours at the Magic Kingdom. There is simply more to do.
During the ten-day trip, we had a couple of new character meet and greets. First, we met up with Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters over at the Magic Kingdom. This was by far, our best character experience. They spent at least 5-7 mins with the boys. They even set a wedding date!
Over at the Animal Kingdom, we met Scrooge McDuck. It was a great new photo op.
Though we did not get our photo with her, we did see the famous Kevin, from the movie Up. She was roaming around the Animal Kingdom most of the day.
The one we were most surprised to see was the Evil Queen. She rarely makes an appearance. However, a source close to the Queen said when they are new to the role, they go out and about to meet people. A practice run more or less. I was thrilled to meet her.
We also attended the Festival of the Arts over at Epcot. This is a fairly new festival to Epcot and we enjoyed what we saw. There was entertainment, such as the Disney Broadway Concert Series, seminars and demonstrations and 13 food studios with lots of delicious treats such as this Mac & Cheese Lobster in a cone. It is like a mini Food and Wine.
What I loved best about the festival, all the different photo ops. I know there was so much more to do and see, but I had teenage boys with me. Seminars and demonstrations, are not their thing. However, they were good sports and took some photos with me.
I am looking forward to experiencing it again next year.
Though, we had done this next experience before, it had been a while. On Sunday, we spent all day and night at the Magic Kingdom. It was very crowded and we had some time to kill while waiting for our Fast Passes. After riding Pirates of the Caribbean, I was looking around and thought, hey it has been a while since we were on Tom Sawyer’s Island. The kids and I jumped on the raft and headed over.
The island is on the banks of the River of America in the middle of Frontierland. It has some great views of the Haunted Mansion and Thunder Mountain. It is a self-guided tour, with maps, signs, bridges, caves, mills and more. It is inspired by the writings of Mark Twain. It has been years since we checked it out. At first, the kids were not too keen on doing it. However, once we started exploring, they had a blast.
Finally, the last ‘first” we experienced on this trip, was Nicholas’s 1st runDisney race. He and I ran the 5K together. I will never forget the look of joy as he crossed over the finish line!
There is so much more I could write about this trip. However, I am going to leave it here. There are many more Disney trips on the horizon for us. Be sure to check back to look for my review of the Flower and Garden Festival and the Star Wars Races. Both of these are new experiences to me. What I love most about Disney, no matter how many times we have gone, there is always something new to see and do.
Until next time, lots of faith, trust and pixie dust!
