Back from the Happiest Place on Earth! Our 2011 WDW Vacation Trip Report!

Hello to all my fellow Walt Disney World fans!

We are so excited to report that we were fortunate enough to just enjoy our 8th trip to Walt Disney World! And as always it was a beyond perfect, magical vacation! We really wanted to share it with all our friends here on WDWMagic.com! We actually have been back for a month now (you know how busy life can be after coming back to reality) and we just haven’t had time to post our trip report.

We were there for 10 days, February 25th – March 6th. Our group was my wife and I and my twin brother and his wife. I will post a condensed trip recap below and if anyone wants to read more in depth, I’ll post a day by day report below that. Enjoy!

Day 1 – Travel from Cape Cod Massachusetts to Orlando Florida / Downtown Disney
Day 2 – Magic Kingdom
Day 3 – Day Off
Day 4 – Epcot
Day 5 – Animal Kingdom / Magic Kingdom
Day 6 – Day Off / Universal Islands of Adventure (to check out Harry Potter)
Day 7 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Day 8 – Epcot
Day 9 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios / Magic Kingdom
Day 10 – Magic Kingdom / Travel home to Cape Cod

Total attractions tally = 115
Total time spent in parks = 91.5 hours
Total attractions that broke down = 5
Total new or enhanced attractions experienced = 11
Total pictures taken = 682 (what can I say, I had a brand new camera)
Total video clips taken = 150
Total burgers eaten = 17
Total hotdogs eaten = 7
Total slices of pizza eaten = 48
Total salads eaten = 20
Total pieces of fruit eaten = 12
Total ice cream eaten = 14
(Not to mention all the fries, pretzels, popcorn, turkey legs, bakery goods, chicken and soda)

I will post a day by day trip report below. In the meantime, here is a picture of us! Enjoy!

The Gang

- Hauntdmansion79

 

[Ariel484]

I'll second the love for the twin brothers/popcorn picture...that's a great photo. And I love the "Ooh, la Tinkerbelle!" story...too cute!

We were there February 25-28, and I agree with you...fabulous weather. It was wonderful!

Looking forward to more of your report! :wave:

 

[lisak09]

Great TR, looks like you all had an amazing trip. Bahama Breeze is one of our favourite restaurants on International Drive, we usually go a couple of times each trip. Also i have to agree about the butterbeer, looking forward to trying that again, delicious!

 

[disneygirl1]

Awesome report!!! I have to say that I totally agree with you on FB and Hogwarts castle!!! It is by far the most AWESOME queue I have ever been thru. The detail is spot on to the books... I loved when you were about to get on FB it was like you were in the great hall with all the candles floating in the air. So Cool!!! FB is definitely more of a thrill ride I honestly was not expecting that but it was very neat. I'm not good with simulator type rides so I could only handle it once. By brother and son however rode it at least 3 times.

I thought the queue fro DD was pretty neat too and I liked how they incorporated the tri-wizard tourney into it. How about the Wesley's car in the whomping willow. I was so mad I did not have my camera with me for that one!

Oh and the frozen butterbeer is SO GOOD!

 

[hauntdmansion79]

How about the Wesley's car in the whomping willow. I was so mad I did not have my camera with me for that one!/QUOTE]

So glad you like our Trip Report! I know many of us Disney fans are appreciating HP at Universal.....it's just too good to ignore. I just wanted to share a few pictures from the queues of Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff, because luckily I DID have my camera!

 

[hauntdmansion79]

DAY #10 – Sunday March 6th 2011
“Magic Kingdom / Travel Home”

• Woke up early at 6am to finish packing, check out, and get gas. The weather predicts rain all day….oh well. We’ve been lucky so far.
• Said goodbye to our hotel. Hope to be back someday soon!
• Got gas and headed back to Magic Kingdom for one more day of fun!
• We wanted to get to the park for the opening show out front “Good Morning, Good Morning”, but when we got to the parking lot we saw that instead of opening at 9am, they opened at 8am. So we missed the show. Also they are extending their hours until 12 midnight again tonight. Unfortunately we won’t be able to stay past 4pm. Parked in Pluto and headed in.
• No rain so far and as the morning went on, it got nicer and nicer. It ended up being in the 80’s with bright sunshine and blue skies all day! Thank God!
• OK, let’s see how much butt we can kick in a half day at Magic Kingdom!

1.) Splash Mountain (3rd Time) – We thought if it does rain, we’ll want to get this in. Carisa and I got soaked this time, especially me. Dan and Faith had their ponchos on…smart.
2.) Big Thunder Mountain (3rd Time)
3.) Space Mountain (4th Time!) – First 4-time-ridden ride! Also completing a Triple Mountain Whammy…..WHAM, WHAM, WHAM!

• Got fruit in Fantasyland and ate them right by the new Fantasyland expansion wall. They’re working fast!

4.) Mickey’s Philharmagic (2nd Time)
5.) Snow White’s Scary Adventure (2nd Time) – Most likely the very last time we’ll ever ride this attraction. It will be closed by the next time we go. Goodbye old friend.
6.) Winnie the Pooh (3rd Time)
7.) It’s A Small World (3rd Time)

• Got lunch somewhere we had never tried before, Pinocchio’s Village Haus. We ate outside on the upper balcony, overlooking Fantasyland.

8.) Peter Pan’s Flight (3rd Time)
9.) Hall of Presidents (Hadn’t seen the updated show with Morgan Freeman, Obama, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and George Washington’s speech. It was updated very well.)
10.) Haunted Mansion (4th Time!) – Goodbye greatest ride ever!

• Dan bought the sweetest souvenir ever! It was his “splurge” item from this trip. He bought a Haunted Mansion village building. It is an exact replica of the Haunted Mansion. It lights up too! He says it’s the best thing he has in his house!

11.) TTA People Movers (4th Time!)
12.) Pirates of the Caribbean (4th Time) – Last ride of our 2011 Disney World vacation. And what a great way to end it!

• 12 attractions all by 4pm! Not bad at all for a half day in Magic Kingdom! We definitely made the most of our last day in the parks!
• Walked through the center hub, said goodbye to the Castle. Spend some time on Main Street USA for some last minute shopping. Then said goodbye to our favorite place on Earth! We’ll be back soon!
• Left the park at 4:30pm. Changed into pants (booo) and drove to Orlando airport.
• Smooth, non-stop flight home to Boston. Landed at 9:50pm. Drove to the Cape, home around midnight.
• The gang said goodbye and went our separate ways. L

We had a wonderful vacation full of light hearts, free spirits, perfect weather, fun, and quality time with the people we love! Thank you Walt Disney World for providing an escape from reality and a lifetime of happy memories! See Ya Real Soon!

Hope everyone enjoyed our trip report. Sorry that it was posted so late after returning and also sorry for the length. But we figured most of you fellow Disney nuts like all the details.

The Gang

Our Disney parking ticket collection

We couldn’t believe the Fantasyland expansion was just over this wall!

A good peek of the Fantasyland expansion from outside the Pinocchio Village Haus bathrooms

One of the many revolting sights of frappin’ strollers!

Jeff and Carisa waving goodbye to Magic Kingdom

Dan and Faith waving goodbye to Magic Kingdom

- Hauntdmansion79

 

[Sarabell]

Great TR. I love how you have your own TR method.

The pics are awesome and I (like other fellow WDWMagic posters) LOVE the parade pic of you and your brother. :wave:

 

[accord99cutie]

Loved your report! Thanks for sharing:wave:

 

[MomLovesDisney]

Love the report! There are attractions that you described that we've never the taken time to do....but now I can't wait to!

I love the fact that adults enjoy it so much without kids! Probably less stressful without kids! I have 2 daughters, but I'm the biggest kid of all! I get more excited than anyone!!

Can't wait to go again.....

Going to Universal in June, hope to do a week a Disney in December :xmas:

 

[Disneydreamer23]

The guys you went with seem like they made it so much better they look like they have a truely good time @ disney , alot of men arnt like that KUDOS to them!

 

[blackthidot]

Only read the first post so far, but I REALLY like how you did it...with the counts of everything. Pretty cool!

 

[hauntdmansion79]

Thanks for all the kind words! I'm glad you're all enjoying our trip report. It was a blast to write because it forced us to relive our Disney vacation. As I was typing, it was like I was there, doing it all over again! Wish were there right now....I'd do it all over again tomorrow if I could!

See you all around the forums!

- Hauntdmansion79

 

[TiggerTime]

Great report & pictures.

Thanks.

 

[disneyfamilyjd]

Great trip report!! Loved every minute of reading it. What off site hotel did you guys stay at?

 

[mamamouse]

awesome report,lol'd for real at thw wham wham WHAM!!!