Trip Report So I guess Disney thinks Canadians do not celebrate Christmas?? A Max Trip Report- COMPLETED

A big hello to all my Disney friends:

As the title suggest this is a trip report regarding our recent Christmas adventure at Walt Disney World

Why the title you ask? I will keep you guessing on that one for a few days at least

Details leading up to the departure can be found here:

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...-max-the-girls-and-the-boys-do-disney.951075/

This is my 6th trip report on these boards so hopefully you have read at least one before

The reason I say that is that my style might not suit all - I can probably sum it up as

1) Shoot from the hip
2) Do not pull punches
3) Definitely not PC
4) Not always PG
5) As much Seinfeld references as @Tuvalu can handle
6) Not too heavy or too light on the Pixie dust -keep it real and call it as I see it

Quick introduction will come from:

Day 1 - Travel Day towards the US but not quite beyond the comfort of home:
Friday Dec 21, 2018

The original plan was to drive from our home in Waterloo Ont Canada to Buffalo NY on Sat Dec 22.
With a 10:35 am fight a same day drive could have worked.

We switched it up to a drive on the day before and booked a hotel in Niagara Falls Canada

(our B&B in Buffalo backed out on us - @Doc Disney can try to explain how she let us down!!!)

So here we are at the Embassy Suites on Friday enjoying our homemade Mickey cookies

Me (Max, Andrew, Clarence) and Tricia

My younger daughter Cassie and Shane (BF)

and my older daughter Stephanie and her fiancé Jordan

and this is all of us at the Falls ( selfies are harder with six people!!!)

This report will chronicle Disney trip 28 for me and lucky(?) 13 to WDW.
It is also 13 to WDW for Tricia
The girls celebrate 10 trips to the world
Trip 2 for Shane (though his memory of the first is limited)

And - 1ST TIME FOR JORDAN!!!!!!

More Day 1 to follow and then off to Buffalo the next day!!!

Welcome aboard, ashore and wherever we are!!!

Max

 

[amjt660]

Wrap up:
With everyone thanking me for completing my TR I guess I better wrap it up officially

For those that suffered through my PTR you might remember that I had some trepidation going into this trip.
Most was centering on the fact that we increased from the usual suspects (from 4 to 6)

1. How would the dynamic work - would it still be a family trip or 3 separate couples going their own way?
2. How well would we get along - would this be a relationship breaker?
3. Would/Could this be the last family trip?
4. Christmas is busy - Toy Story and Pandora were must see for us - would it be stupid busy
5. Condition of the park - too many stories of it going down hill - it had been 2 years since our last visit

So how did it turn out?

1) The group dynamic played out very well - for the most part we travelled as a single family unit and only occasional someone would "go back to the room" - myself included. I think the busy state of the parks and the need to stay on plan with FP helped with staying together. But more so I think us vets enjoyed showing this wonderful world of Disney to the newbies.

2) The relationships grew stronger over the course of the trip in my opinion. I think this brought us closer together - Why you ask?

Possibly because ...

to quote the Hunger games movies.

We bonded against the common enemy of the Dolphin and Guest Relations at DAK so we did not have time for infighting!!

3) I am glad to say that this will (most likely) not be the last family trip. As we compared / contrasted to Disneyland in California (@lostpro9het and @ajrwdwgirl will attest) we decided as a group to go to DLR in May 2020 ( after school is complete for all four of the "kids") . So the dream is still alive!!

4) Christmas was nuts - crowd control is lost on WDW managment- the number of people allowed into TSL was on the brink of being unsafe. I hear they are going to try to control Galaxy Edge - I hope they do - because it is not fun to be packed in so tight it is hard to walk.
Everyone agrees that we are done with Christmas trips - we barely enjoyed any holiday items but had to put up with the crowds.
So not worth it . The timing was out of necessity due to school schedules - #neveragainatChristmas

5) The parks are at a low point right now. Too many people, not enough capacity and what capacity they have are overworked/under loved rides that cannot maintain the uptime to support the demand.

Budget cuts on cleaning staff (parks and hotels) is evident and just plain sad.
Tokyo Disney staff is extremely diligent and attentive - they should send training videos to Florida.

As some/many others have stated the change in the parks is noticeable to people that go often / over many years
The only way to truly get their attention is the bottom line.
I will do my part and stay away for awhile.

Thank you for everyone for following but mostly for contributing to this trip report.
The work it takes to make these things is so much easier when you have people truly interested and engaged with you as you write it up.

The challenge is out there for anyone to top 4 posters from the same trip report!!
(I know @Tuvalu , @TrolleyFollower91 @Woodywrkr come close with 3.)

So I say goodbye from the world of TR writing for at least a year.
I will stick around and be as punny and snarky as I can (and try to get away with it until I get called out again)

Thanks again

Max

 

[amjt660]

So glad they made it right for you!

Thanks Rista - takes the sting out of it - if you know what I mean

Great trip report! Except for the snafu with the tickets it seems like a great time was had by all. I'm glad Disney finally has made things right with you and hopefully that means another trip report in the near future!

Thanks for the kind words
See my wrap up - I will follow your and @lostpro9het lead and back away for awhile.

I’m sad that the TR is over but I’m glad to hear that things finally worked out.

Yes they did work out - PM me your address for the Christmas get together - did you think I had forgot!!!!!

So glad that they made it right for you Max! I had a very good feeling that they would, sometimes it just takes someone on up the totem pole to get that done.

Awesome report as always, looking forward to your wrap up post.
It was also very neat to get to interact with the rest of the crew, this report.

Thanks for the reply - actually did not climb up - maybe the rep had private conversations with their bosses
Getting all four of my family involved was a treat for sure - I could not get the boys engaged but I could put a stipulation in on the 2020 trip to DLR - post or you don't go!!!

Great TR!! I really enjoyed it. I'm glad things ended up working out in your favor!!

Thanks for following while still being able to do your own TR - you got skills!!!

YAY! I am so happy to hear this! Thank you for letting us know. It is encouraging that someone was able to listen and realize you were not at fault!

It took the equivalent of a 2 by 4 to the head but yes they did eventually realize

View attachment 356668

I am blessed by your acknowledgement

Excellent reporting! Any more trips planned for the future?

Thank you - I do not take notes - just lots of pictures to jog the memory - and the occasional "hey Cassie , what did we do after this"

Not this calendar year - big wedding to pay for in October (Steph and Jordan) so money and time will be tight.

Great report! I'm so glad that you were able to get your situation resolved and that Disney was nice to you.

Thanks
In total honesty the only thing that would really "solve the problem" would be a time machine to go back and make it right either on the spot and during the planning phase.
But since those do not exist yet the settlement was just so I took it.

Glad that they were able to make things right! Sad to see the end of the TR but it looks like it was a great family trip despite the mix ups.

Thank you - do not want anyone to be sad - wish I could keep going but the trip was only 5 days in Disney you know!!

Thanks for sharing your trip with us! As always, I enjoyed following along! Glad to hear that things were fixed to your satisfaction! It's awful that it happened in the first place, but at least they were willing to work with you to resolve it!

Thank you for following and participating
The fix was a decent one - but as I said above it eased the pain but does not completely get rid of it

Thanks, Max, for a fun TR! You have a very nice family, too. Really enjoyed all your impressions of the parks, food, hotels, transportation, etc.

I try to keep it fun ( see Max gets arrested section of the TR) and glad you enjoyed it.

So happy Disney made things right. Loved the TR. Hope you'll be back with another TR very soon. Thanks for sharing.

It might be awhile for another TR
I wise man once said ...

Max

 

[Katiekitten]

Thanks for another great trip report! I'm glad that Disney made it all right in the end!

 

[joshsprincess921]

Great trip report!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[WDisneyW]

Glad they made it right....Great Report !!

 

[LittleTuna12]

Great report Max! Enjoyed following along!

 

[Darstarr]

Really enjoyed your TR. I am still bummed we didnt cross paths. It’s a small world so perhaps one day, friend.
Darstarr

 

[dddisney]

Enjoyed your report. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

 

[fractal]

Thanks for another great Trip Report Max!
It was nice interacting with the family; say Yassou to the inlaws for me!

Have fun in Disneyland.

 

[MickeyCB]

This was a wonderful trip report! Thank you so much for sharing and very much looking forward to reading about your next adventures!

 

[InLovew/disney]

I certainly noticed the table cloth when we were there in November. Distracting. Can’t believe it hasn’t been fixed.

 

[amjt660]

Thanks for another great trip report! I'm glad that Disney made it all right in the end!

So am I and thanks for following

Great trip report!! Thanks for sharing!

Glad you enjoyed it!!

Glad they made it right....Great Report !!

Appreciate that you followed along the whole way!!

Great report Max! Enjoyed following along!

Thank you - I try my best to please!!

Really enjoyed your TR. I am still bummed we didnt cross paths. It’s a small world so perhaps one day, friend.
Darstarr

I really hope we can meet up at some part - we would have fun together !!

Enjoyed your report. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

It does take a long time to write it but it is fun to remember and tell the story
Especially when your audience is engaged and contributing !!

Thanks for another great Trip Report Max!
It was nice interacting with the family; say Yassou to the inlaws for me!

Have fun in Disneyland.

I have passed on your wishes to the inlaws - thanks for that
And thanks for following - I know it is hard to stay engaged with the boards when you in between trips
I hope to follow your lead

This was a wonderful trip report! Thank you so much for sharing and very much looking forward to reading about your next adventures!

It might be a little while till the next one
Thanks for following along

Max

 

[wdwfamilynh]

Great TR, Max! Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed following along

 

[Songbird76]

On a very positive note ...

After a few emails back and forth Disney has determined that I was not at fault for the “experience “ at DAK

They have made an offer and I have accepted it to reconcile the situation

I will not go into the details but please know that I am pleased with the outcome

Thank you for all your support and well wishes along the way

Without your encouragement I would have probably Not seen it through

Max

Oh, I'm so glad that they responded positively! And I guess it goes to show, it pays to email and let them know when something goes wrong....I'll try to remember that if we are ever faced with a similar issue. So far all our issues have been small, and hopefully it will stay that way!! Here's hoping you never end up having another experience like your last!

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Thanks for the great TR! Really enjoyed your sense of humor. Glad to hear Disney made the ticket thing right in the end.

 

[Doc Disney]

I think I will be at DSL in May 2020

 

[gdisneyfans]

The work it takes to make these things

Thanks for taking the time to share your family adventure. Besides the Dolphin and Guest Relations at AK, sounds like you made some great family memories together!

when you have people truly interested and engaged with you as you write it up.

It's easy to be interested and engaged with you and your writing

 

[maxntina]

Thanks for a great trip report! You are a really cool Dad to vacation with your daughters and their S.O.s!

 

[amjt660]

Great TR, Max! Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed following along

Glad that you followed and enjoyed it!

Oh, I'm so glad that they responded positively! And I guess it goes to show, it pays to email and let them know when something goes wrong....I'll try to remember that if we are ever faced with a similar issue. So far all our issues have been small, and hopefully it will stay that way!! Here's hoping you never end up having another experience like your last!

I hope you never have an issue as big as I did - even though we worked it out if I could go back in time I would have not switched to the Cdn res tickets

Thanks for the great TR! Really enjoyed your sense of humor. Glad to hear Disney made the ticket thing right in the end.

It is basically Dad humour so I am glad you enjoyed it!!

I think I will be at DSL in May 2020

Sorry DSL? Disney Sea Land??

Thanks for taking the time to share your family adventure. Besides the Dolphin and Guest Relations at AK, sounds like you made some great family memories together!

It's easy to be interested and engaged with you and your writing

Very kind words - I try to throw in the occasional cliff hanger to keep it real!!!
Which one did you like the most? for me it was getting arrested

Thanks for a great trip report! You are a really cool Dad to vacation with your daughters and their S.O.s!

Wow - I am one of the cool kids!!!
Thanks for reading and appreciate the kind words

Max

 

[DryerLintFan]

A big hello to all my Disney friends:

As the title suggest this is a trip report regarding our recent Christmas adventure at Walt Disney World

Why the title you ask? I will keep you guessing on that one for a few days at least

Details leading up to the departure can be found here:

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...-max-the-girls-and-the-boys-do-disney.951075/

This is my 6th trip report on these boards so hopefully you have read at least one before

The reason I say that is that my style might not suit all - I can probably sum it up as

1. Shoot from the hip
2. Do not pull punches
3. Definitely not PC
4. Not always PG
5. As much Seinfeld references as @Tuvalu can handle
6. Not too heavy or too light on the Pixie dust -keep it real and call it as I see it

Quick introduction will come from:

Day 1 - Travel Day towards the US but not quite beyond the comfort of home:
Friday Dec 21, 2018

The original plan was to drive from our home in Waterloo Ont Canada to Buffalo NY on Sat Dec 22.
With a 10:35 am fight a same day drive could have worked.

We switched it up to a drive on the day before and booked a hotel in Niagara Falls Canada

(our B&B in Buffalo backed out on us - @Doc Disney can try to explain how she let us down!!!)

So here we are at the Embassy Suites on Friday enjoying our homemade Mickey cookies

Me (Max, Andrew, Clarence) and Tricia

View attachment 338537
My younger daughter Cassie and Shane (BF)
View attachment 338538
and my older daughter Stephanie and her fiancé Jordan
View attachment 338539
and this is all of us at the Falls ( selfies are harder with six people!!!)
View attachment 338540

This report will chronicle Disney trip 28 for me and lucky(?) 13 to WDW.
It is also 13 to WDW for Tricia
The girls celebrate 10 trips to the world
Trip 2 for Shane (though his memory of the first is limited)

And - 1ST TIME FOR JORDAN!!!!!!

More Day 1 to follow and then off to Buffalo the next day!!!

Welcome aboard, ashore and wherever we are!!!

Max

I'm just joining now but I LOVE THE COOKIES!!! Definitely adding that to my plans for our upcoming trip! A would love that!