Trip Report * COMPLETED* The Let's Never Go Home Trip

Hey everyone! I don't have all my pictures and videos sorted or anything yet but its a rainy cold day here in Buffalo so why not work on my trip report :) I took over 4000 videos and pictures (I started a youtube channel for my videos :happy: ) so bear with me as I sort through them all! All and all we had a great trip and I wish we weren't home already :(

For those of you who want to see my PTR here it is: http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/the-dole-whip-extravaganza.910063/

Let's get started!

Who?:
From left to right: My Dad (Jeff), My Mom (Mary), Nick (Jill's Boyfriend), My Sister Jill (@Disney Dentist ) and Me (Megan!)
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When?
Jill and Nick were there from April 29 - May 6
My parents and I were there from April 30 - May 12

Where?
We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter! Its our favorite hotel (moderate wise) for sure and it did not disappoint this trip :) We had a great time there and after not having stayed there for a few trips we really enjoyed being back at our "home."

Why?
Why not? We planned this trip before my mom and I went to DL and WDW by ourselves; it was originally a trip to help us get through our post Disney depression from February 2015 but we also ended up going twice more before this....haha

The Title?
We were there for a record (for us) 13 days and it seemed like we were never going to have to leave...unfortunately day 13 did come and we did eventually have to go home. Even after being there for so long I still wasn't ready to leave!

T-1 Day to go:
Jill and Nick were already in Disney but my parents and I could not leave until Saturday because I have clinic on Fridays which is non-negitionable (we get our vacation in two week blocks so technically my vacation didn't start until May 2 but luckily I was able to get the weekend off before). Anyway we had Jills dogs to take care of for one day. I was off my from regular rotation in the morning which was nice because we had time to get our nails done. However, just about an hour before I had to go to clinic my sister's one dog had some issues :hungover: Here I am bathing him (with my fresh manicure) right before having to go to work...
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Meanwhile this is the text I get when I am at clinic....
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Must be nice...;) Anyway we got him cleaned up and when I got home from work we got the dogs all situated at their respective places to stay. We then checked we packed everything and I made my Dad sit down with me and make sure he had everything he needed. This will come into play later since he really wasn't paying attention to me :happy:

Day 1 Travel Day
Well our flight was leaving at 6:50 am so we got up around 4:00 am to get ready to go. Luckily we live close to the airport but still planned on leaving around 5 am to make sure we had time. I had a weird feeling all morning that the airport was going to be packed so I was a little more anxious than usual
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Anyway we shoved our five (yes five, and my 2 were both full size) suitcases into my Dad's car and off we went to the airport. We ended up leaving a little before 5. We got to the airport and we parked and had to drag our suitcases into the terminal. Its not that far but I was spoiled by our last few trips where my Dad dropped us off at the door haha. Anyway as we were on the elevator I was super anxious and my Dad was like calm down its never that crowded. Literally as soon as he said that the door opened and what did we see? A HUGE line for security...like out the entrance for it all the way through the airport. :eek::confused: I almost panicked but instead thought "oh no worries we almost always get TSA pre-check." So we check in and the tickets come out and no pre-check for my Mom and I. My Dad always gets it because he is a government/army employee. He was going to wait in line with us but I told him to go ahead so in case we were so long we didn't get to board on time he could save our seats. I also assumed maybe he would get us breakfast...spoiler alert he didn't haha
Anyway my poor mother had to deal with me through the almost hour we waited in security..I was so nervous we were going to miss our flight (or at least boarding). Luckily we got out around 6:15 and our boarding was 6:25.
My mom and I met my Dad at the gate and while he didn't get us breakfast he did get us cookies so there is that :) Thumbs up we made it on time, as I am sure many people did not make it! In fact our flight definitely left without some people.
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My penguin and dinosaur were ready to go!
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We were in the early A's so we got a good seat and immediately put on our magic bands :)
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Next up: traveling continued
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Great report.

Cracking up at Jill's sad pizza face! :D

Thanks! haha and she was seriously so sad. She got a rice crispy treat to make up for it though!

That tower of terro picture tho! Love it!!!! How awesome! My first trip I got to go on TOT with just my friend and her mom and it was such a different ride! I swear it's scarier when there's no one else! And those garden grill pictures have got me thinking about changing my ADRs yet again...

I love Garden Grill so much...I can't remember have you eaten there before? I was like 1000 times more scared riding TOT alone! Its much different :)
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Love the ToT and RnRC ride photos! It was definitely worth it to brave the rain. You guys accomplished a lot!

Absolutely! Rainy times are the best times to accomplish things because no one comes! Sep this morning when it wasn't even raining that much!

This is a good picture...

... it's nice to see so many Bills fans have something to actually smile about! :hilarious:

hahahahah touche
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 5 continued
When we got back to the hotel Petey and Drake were causing mischief again ;)
Yes those are 3D glasses.....:eek: Don't tell Disney
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Since it was raining we could not go to the pool so my Dad and I decided to hit up the arcade. Our trip did not last long, however, since the money/card machines were down :(. Instead we walked back to the room and watched a show about people owning private islands haha
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Our dinner plans for the night were for Hoop Dee Doo! We were going to the 4 pm sitting so we met at the bus stop at 2:20 pm. However, we JUST missed a bus...:banghead:. We waited, and waited, and waited....
Jill even had time to braid my hair...
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I went into absolute panic mode as we were approaching 3:00 and a bus wasn't there yet. I was going into worst case scenario that the boats would be down because of the rain and we would have to get a bus to Fort Wilderness somehow and then take the internal bus to the back which we would never have time for. My Dad and Nick did not get my panic. I was telling them over and over again I already paid for this and we can't be late and they were not helping at all saying I was over reacting...which I was but definitely not the thing you want to hear in a moment of overreacting :p
Anyway a bus finally came and we made it to the MK around 3:15 pm. I desperately was looking out the bus windows to see if I could see boats and I finally did! I felt so much better.
I see you boat!!!!
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We were able to get on a boat and to Hoop Dee Doo with a few minutes to spare!
Happy to be on a boat!
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It stopped raining just long enough for us to get our picture taken
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Anyway, I went to the bathroom before the show started and handed my Dad the ticket to hold. When I got back out he and Nick said they understand why I was freaking out after looking at the price :D

Next up: continuing at Hoop Dee Doo
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 5 continued
We were seated in the first row of Hoop Dee Doo :)
You can see the stage next to Jill and Nick
Our showing actually was semi- empty, no one was sitting in the balconies
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My camera was really struggling to take decent pictures. This may have been my waterproof camera I can't remember
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I started off with the sangria, as did Nick and my Mom. My Dad had a beer and Jill had a regular glass of wine
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Of course we also started with the amazing corn bread and salad
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I could eat that corn bread as its own meal...so good!
Soon the show started! I was so excited for my Dad and Nick to see it since they have never been!
My pictures are all terrible so I will spare you most of them :)
Three of the actors were actually the same as the ones we saw last time we went to Hoop Dee Doo! Kind of cool!
The food eventually came out :)
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The food is good, not great but we aren't that picky so we all enjoyed it!
Here is like the one decent picture I got...haha
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Six-pence kept coming over to us when he was singing about the bear and was making the funniest faces ever right in Jills face. We were laughing so hard!
Soon the dessert came out!
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Everything was great and we all enjoyed the show!
When we left it was absolutely pouring outside. We took the boat to the MK and Jill and Nick decided to go home but my Mom, Dad and I went into the MK. I have no pictures because it was raining so hard we shuffled from place to place without opening my backpack under my poncho. It was raining so hard that the CMs didn't even make us take off our ponchos for rides which they usually do!
There were 5 minute waits for almost everything. Peter Pan had like a 30 minute wait and the Mine Train like 15.
We went on POTC, HM, stopped in Memento Mori so I could get something for Nick, It's a Small World and shopped in the stores on Main Street all in like an hour. We left because it was starting to get uncomfortably wet and there was a bus waiting for us..perfect! We hit up our own gift shop on the way home and ran into Jill and Nick there! Eventually we went off to bed :)

Next up: Trekking with animals
 

jrogue

Well-Known Member
What a nice long trip! I've never had a corn dog either, so don't worry. Glad you liked Casey's Corner. I dont recall ever eating there before either, so maybe I will try it next time!

Love the underwater pictures. It was a great idea to bring that camera! I also love the window decorations and your family is too cute!! I had no idea you could wear magic bands in the pool. You learn something every day!

Congrats to your mom on being cancer free for three years. that's amazing!

OMG your sister's braid on day 3. WOW. I need to find someone who can braid my hair like that. It looks great!
*** Just caught up, and she braided your hair again!!!??? AGH, I need to hire your sister to just come around with me and braid MY hair, omg lol looking forward to the rest of your report
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hoop de Doo looks like so much fun! You had great seats. The only problem with reading trip reports is that my list of things to do while at Disney gets longer and longer. The more I see pictures of Hoop de Doo the more I want to see it in person.

You guys definitely have to check it out! We really enjoy it! Its definitely expensive though so even though we went twice in the last 3 trips we all said we would wait a few years before going back again

Ugh, I could feel your transportation angst!!!! And rain angst!!!!
Sounds like you made the best of it though :).

The rain was bad that day but we can't really complain, really did not deal with much rain the whole trip! I reminded myself 1000 times its likely to have at least one transportation issue and to prepare for it but it still hit me hard haha
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
What a nice long trip! I've never had a corn dog either, so don't worry. Glad you liked Casey's Corner. I dont recall ever eating there before either, so maybe I will try it next time!

Love the underwater pictures. It was a great idea to bring that camera! I also love the window decorations and your family is too cute!! I had no idea you could wear magic bands in the pool. You learn something every day!

Congrats to your mom on being cancer free for three years. that's amazing!

OMG your sister's braid on day 3. WOW. I need to find someone who can braid my hair like that. It looks great!
*** Just caught up, and she braided your hair again!!!??? AGH, I need to hire your sister to just come around with me and braid MY hair, omg lol looking forward to the rest of your report

Aw thanks for reading! Casey's Corner was super great you should definitely check it out next time! Yep you can definitely wear Magic Bands in the pool! The only time we don't is in the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon for obvious reasons haha. I love that my sister can braid my hair, my other sister can too! You can borrow them some time ;)
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 6
This morning I got up early and got ready quietly so I could meet Jill and Nick at the bus stop. This morning we were heading to Animal Kingdom for the Wild Africa Trek! Jill booked this tour for me as a (way too expensive) gift for planning the trip! One day Nick came home from work and said he heard a client talking about the trek and he wanted to do it. He actually did not know Jill and I were signed up, but luckily we were able to add him on to our tour!
Anyway, we met at the bus stop a little before 7. I confirmed with the front desk that the bus would be there around 7 since we had to be there by 730 and they said yes. We waited for a bit. I'm sure AK is not top priority to get to early but the bus finally came around 7:15. We ended having to go all around Riverside too so were a wee bit later than 730 but they said that happens often with the morning tours and we were not the last ones there anyway! They actually weren't even letting us in the park yet anyway!
So, once we got in the park we quickly lost two of our members who got lost going to the bathroom :confused:
The park was so beautiful empty and I was able to get some great shots
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An empty park makes for a great picture opportunity
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Jill and I both decided to wear running pants because when we looked at some sample pictures of the Trek we saw that girls wearing shorts often had unflattering pictures because the harness pulls them up haha
Anyway soon we got to the Trek check in. I had to laugh because there were two ladies who were freaking out about getting weighed in even though they send you a few emails saying it will happen :rolleyes:
Soon enough we were checked and double checked and were ready to go!
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We headed out to the Harambe area and it was so quiet and peaceful! So cool to see AK like that!
Our group was pretty small and actually was meant to be two people smaller but the Trek the day before was canceled due to the rain so the two women on the right joined our group.
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While walking around the trails we came across another tour group (just one of the walking ones) and our leader said in our headsets to say Jambo really loud to scare them and leave them figuring out how we knew to say it all at the same time :p
Anyway these pictures will be a mix of mine and theirs. They said they don't recommend brining your own camera but I am glad I did because I got some great pictures and some funny videos
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While you are walking they share so much information! I wish I could remember all of it, but I can barely remember any of it haha
After heading through part of the Pangani Trail we veered off and soon enough were in the hippo area!
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Coming up: continuing to Trek
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 6 continued
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After the hippos we headed to the bridge part!
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Jill and I both struggled with this a little only because some of the spaces are big and our legs aren't that long haha
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The second bridge is scarier because its over the crocodiles haha
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The cool thing was at this point the park was open so tons of Safaris were going by and people kept looking up at us!
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Next up: still Treking
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 6 continued
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We watched these two giraffes interact with a little bird which the guides said is very unusual as they are usually afraid of things!
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Next up it was time for our snack!
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I am proud to say I tried every single thing in the food bucket! I don't even like fish and I tried to salmon wrap thing. The food was interesting, wouldn't write home about it, but it was a good snack. The yogurt with granola and the cheese were my favorites

Next Up: almost done...
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 6 continued
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In the end you get to chose where part of your fee for the Trek gets donated. I chose hoofed animals (giraffes are my favs), Jill could not chose one and picked the general one. I am not sure what Nick picked!
Here are our lovely guides
We had three because they were testing out a new camera!
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Words can not even express how awesome this Trek was! I know its super expensive, but its worth doing at least once in a lifetime!!!!!

Next up: My parent's morning and finishing AK for the day
 

jrogue

Well-Known Member
Wow, I never even thought about doing the trek until just now! It looks like a lot of fun. I've seen people in the area where you were standing when you said you were having a snack but I never thought twice about why they were there. Can't wait to read more :)
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I loved reading about the Wild Africa Trek. It looks like a great experience. Not sure my tiny little legs would make it across the gaps in the suspension bridge. Giraffes are my favorite, too! I loved your pictures of the giraffes on the trek.

It was so cool! The gaps were much bigger than I expected but you are attached from overhead so its not too scary. I was actually filming on my camera during the bridge and ended up just letting it hang around my neck so I could use both hands :D
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wow, I never even thought about doing the trek until just now! It looks like a lot of fun. I've seen people in the area where you were standing when you said you were having a snack but I never thought twice about why they were there. Can't wait to read more :)

Its amazing! Definitely worth the money!! I saw people standing there too and was never 100% sure what they were doing!!
 

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