Our last trip to WDW was during the summer of 2014. We have since visited six European countries and traveled across the USA (more than once), but we are ready to return to Disneyworld! We began planning over a year ago, fresh on the heels or our latest European adventure. We asked our kids where they wanted to go next summer (2020), Europe or Disney, and they chose Disney (thankfully as we would not be allowed to travel to Europe this summer). I have to say, as much as I enjoyed our visits to Europe, I'm very excited to return to Walt Disney World. So many of our early family adventures were to Disney and I'm excited to be there again now that our kids are older. So much to share since our last visit, and so much to say about our upcoming trip. So much has changed since our original reservation, including a global pandemic. Updates soon!
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Trip Report It's been 6 years and a global pandemic, but we are back!
- Thread starter coachwnh
- Start date
fractal
Well-Known Member
Welcome back to PA!
ajrwdwgirl
Premium Member
Every day, we’ll at the end of each day on the trip we pick out our favorites of the day and I write them down. It’s fun to look back on later. Here’s what we do
Favorite thing
Least favorite thing
Favorite food and drink
Funniest moment
New thing we experienced
Miles walked
Weather of the day
Favorite thing
Least favorite thing
Favorite food and drink
Funniest moment
New thing we experienced
Miles walked
Weather of the day
- In the Parks
- No
Thank you for reading. Updates still to come.So glad you made it home safe. I kept my chatter to a minimum but I was there
- In the Parks
- No
My review of the Riviera Resort
Our initial resort was Coronado, but we were upgraded (and big time to a one bedroom suite) to the Riviera. In general, there is nothing bad I can say about the resort. So here I go:
I had read some reviews where people complained about the small lobby. It is small, but it never felt crowded. However, I also understand that the resort was far from capacity. If this were a typical Disney summer vacation, then yes the lobby would have been too small. But during our stay, we had no issues and there was always someone to assist us.
The lobby store, La Boutique, is also very small. It was busy during our stay even with limited capacity.
The staff was fantastic. Everyone from check in, to the shops, to the QS restaurants, bars, and Topolino's Terrace were all Disney class!
The main pool area was small, too. We only went as a family once. Even with limited capacity at the resort, the pool was crowded. We did love the slide!
Brayden was the only one who went to the workout room. He went almost daily. He liked it.
The biggest perk was the Skyliner to HS and Epcot. So easy. Lines of course were short with Caribbean Beach closed for most of our stay, and each car was limited to just one party. I may have a different opinion had both resort been normal capacity and we had to share gondolas.
Bus rides were all very short. The resort is located in a prime location in relation to all parks and Disney Springs.
I guess the biggest thing I can say is it really is a beautiful resort.
I will update our overall experience and dining later. Hope you are all having a great day.
Our initial resort was Coronado, but we were upgraded (and big time to a one bedroom suite) to the Riviera. In general, there is nothing bad I can say about the resort. So here I go:
I had read some reviews where people complained about the small lobby. It is small, but it never felt crowded. However, I also understand that the resort was far from capacity. If this were a typical Disney summer vacation, then yes the lobby would have been too small. But during our stay, we had no issues and there was always someone to assist us.
The lobby store, La Boutique, is also very small. It was busy during our stay even with limited capacity.
The staff was fantastic. Everyone from check in, to the shops, to the QS restaurants, bars, and Topolino's Terrace were all Disney class!
The main pool area was small, too. We only went as a family once. Even with limited capacity at the resort, the pool was crowded. We did love the slide!
Brayden was the only one who went to the workout room. He went almost daily. He liked it.
The biggest perk was the Skyliner to HS and Epcot. So easy. Lines of course were short with Caribbean Beach closed for most of our stay, and each car was limited to just one party. I may have a different opinion had both resort been normal capacity and we had to share gondolas.
Bus rides were all very short. The resort is located in a prime location in relation to all parks and Disney Springs.
I guess the biggest thing I can say is it really is a beautiful resort.
I will update our overall experience and dining later. Hope you are all having a great day.
Pooh'sBuddy
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Just guessing, I'd say less than half of the cars were filled. It was eerily quiet. It made for a great dining experience, but I can see why its so difficult to get an ADR if they are in fact going at less than 50% capacity there. I hope something becomes available for your dates.
Pooh'sBuddy
Well-Known Member
Thank you. We are being patient with our plans and open to other options.
- In the Parks
- No
My review of Magic Kingdom
Loved walking in the day we arrived mid afternoon to an almost empty Main Street USA. At first glance, I wasn't sure I liked the new paint colors on the castle. The more I saw it, the more I liked it.
Lines were even shorter than we expected. Loved the spacing in the queues. I wouldn't mind it staying like this when things are back to normal. The only things we didn't do were the river boat, Tom's Sawyer Island, and the tree house. The only things we did once were the Tiki Room, COP, and Philharmagic. Everything else we rode or watched multiple times.
Glad we were able to ride Splash Mountain before the changes are made. I love the ride as it is. We had hoped to ride it the last afternoon we were there, but that is the day the boat sank! We did ride early that morning. Splash and Space were probably the favorites at the park for the family. Big Thunder and Mine train are close seconds. Im still kind of a softy and am partial to Peter Pan as well. We really enjoyed the Jungle Cruise this trip. Its often a ride we wouldn't do each trip to Magic Kingdom in the past, but this trip the captains were solid each time. We heard so many new jokes, and different jokes each time. It really made the ride a must do.
There were really only two things that were disappointing about MK. The rides at night are almost like completely different rides than they are during the day. We were a little bummed we couldn't experience that this time; however, the short lines and small crowds more than made up for this!
The other thing was the Plaza Ice Cream being closed and the other ice cream locations closing right at 7. Getting ice cream when the park is closing and walking out at the end of the day was always fun. Again, with what we were able to do this trip I can deal with this.
The other big change for us this trip was the amount of time we stayed in the parks. We actually spent more time in the parks this trip then when the parks had longer hours in the past. We would arrive at opening and stay all day. We never did that in the past.
We did miss the fireworks and parades. It was neat to see the characters still out in different locations.
Overall, it was great to be in the Magic Kingdom again. There is no doubt, the ability to do so much more then we ever thought possible in a day at MK made the things that we couldn't experience this trip less significant.
Loved walking in the day we arrived mid afternoon to an almost empty Main Street USA. At first glance, I wasn't sure I liked the new paint colors on the castle. The more I saw it, the more I liked it.
Lines were even shorter than we expected. Loved the spacing in the queues. I wouldn't mind it staying like this when things are back to normal. The only things we didn't do were the river boat, Tom's Sawyer Island, and the tree house. The only things we did once were the Tiki Room, COP, and Philharmagic. Everything else we rode or watched multiple times.
Glad we were able to ride Splash Mountain before the changes are made. I love the ride as it is. We had hoped to ride it the last afternoon we were there, but that is the day the boat sank! We did ride early that morning. Splash and Space were probably the favorites at the park for the family. Big Thunder and Mine train are close seconds. Im still kind of a softy and am partial to Peter Pan as well. We really enjoyed the Jungle Cruise this trip. Its often a ride we wouldn't do each trip to Magic Kingdom in the past, but this trip the captains were solid each time. We heard so many new jokes, and different jokes each time. It really made the ride a must do.
There were really only two things that were disappointing about MK. The rides at night are almost like completely different rides than they are during the day. We were a little bummed we couldn't experience that this time; however, the short lines and small crowds more than made up for this!
The other thing was the Plaza Ice Cream being closed and the other ice cream locations closing right at 7. Getting ice cream when the park is closing and walking out at the end of the day was always fun. Again, with what we were able to do this trip I can deal with this.
The other big change for us this trip was the amount of time we stayed in the parks. We actually spent more time in the parks this trip then when the parks had longer hours in the past. We would arrive at opening and stay all day. We never did that in the past.
We did miss the fireworks and parades. It was neat to see the characters still out in different locations.
Overall, it was great to be in the Magic Kingdom again. There is no doubt, the ability to do so much more then we ever thought possible in a day at MK made the things that we couldn't experience this trip less significant.
fractal
Well-Known Member
Agree with everything you said. We also rode Jungle Cruise for the first in awhile. Really enjoyed it! Did miss seeing Happily Ever After.
MEyeSeeKayEY
Well-Known Member
I wish I had the money you spent on alcohol on this trip... I would pay off my mortgage.
- In the Parks
- No
Thats what a vacation is for!
Minnesota disney fan
Well-Known Member
I love the photos of the Haunted Mansion, especially the ones of the outside. There is so much to see around the Mansion. Thanks for the great photos and the fun trip report. Oh, I'm signing on late, 52 pages late.................sigh, but I'm HERE!
- In the Parks
- No
Glad you took the time to read!