As Many of you know, We are on a multi year project. This project is to make sure our 4 Niece and nephews get to see the world. For many years, they have been told " you will get to go to Disney" and it never happened for one reason or another. Finally we were in a spot financially, that we could do it. Lets just say this was a very special trip for all of us, not just to see it through the eyes of a first timer, but due to restrictions etc. We will get into that much more later, on why i feel that this may of been my best Disney experience yet. On this trip we had My oldest niece at 17 years, and about to graduate in 2021. and my oldest nephew at 13. They have heard of our trips, seen some photos, but never got to go for one reason or another.
We live in Tennessee, and they live in Maine. If you read my Pre Trip, nothing went to plan on this one ha! There was covid, then my wife's Nana passed away, and the kids came to stay with us far longer than we had originally anticipated, so it made the big countdown actually better, as they were here with us from June, through now. They will go home this weekend, When my daughter goes home to visit family for her birthday.
To say they were excited doesn't even begin to describe it, as they got to be with us through all the final planning, final shopping, and watching our favourite podcaster weekly.
The time finally came, and we were to get on the road! Where we are about 11 to 11 hours with the time change back to EST away we tend to leave pretty early to get settled on arrival day. MY daughter and her fiancee had come over earlier on Saturday and got settled ,as they would be here to watch the dogs, and feed the fish and keep the pool going etc. Wheels up was to be 12:00 AM CST Sunday the 9th. I took a quick nap, as i am the driver, and we got on the road about 11:45 CSt on saturday, and got the wheels on the truck rolling Mouse Bound.
My Nephew had found this cheesy joke card deck on one of our prior adventures this summer, and kept them aside for the ride to keep me awake. This really did help, and the 4 of us laughed and Laughed the whole way through the night.
We do our best to avoid Atlanta, so we go down through Alabama, then in through the panhandle over to where I 10 meets 75, and go in that way. it adds just a few minutes to the drive, and honestly to not deal with Atlanta is nice.
We took our truck this time for the extra room for cargo, and room for people, so it was a new experience from the beginning as we had no idea how many miles to the tank we would get, and how many stops we would have to make. Turns out y thoughts of at least 300 miles per tank was spot on, and could likely do 350 before we have to really get gas. We timed it so we could stop and get breakfast one one stop, so we don't loose too much time. All in all we lost about 15 minutes total in food and gas stops.
On this trip one of the changes was our Hotel. We were booked at ASM family Suites, and well Thanks to Covid, they did not open that resort. Disney stepped up and delivered the upgrade of a lifetime. We got moved to Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village, in a 2 bedroom Villa!!
We had not told the kids where we were staying for the ultimate surprise, but the GPS as we got there, ruined part of it, but they were still super surprised once we got to our room.
Our room ready text had come while we were still a couple hours out, which was super nice so we could get unpacked before we went to the pool for some lunch and some relaxation. We always spend the day at the resort on arrival day, as after driving all day i cant enjoy a park day.
Once we found parking, and a map to our room, we headed up stairs. We were in The Timon Section, 3rd floor, literally on top of the bus stops, but we drove all week, as it was just easier. More on that to come. Here are some photos i took of our home for the week. First silver lining of a Covid world was this amazing upgrade!
We were a standard view, and had asked to be as close to a Savannah view as possible. We had a great viewing window right outside our door, to the left, and got to walk by it any time we went anywhere. Ive got some great photos to come of that for sure.
My nephew said " this is already more than i expected" and this was just the suite. We had not gone to view the Savannah, or gone to the pool yet. That would be next.
Being an arrival day, we unpacked out suitcases into the dressers, and got situated for the week. Next up we were off to view the Savannah, hit the pool, and relax before we went to the springs for our first dining reservation of this trip.
We live in Tennessee, and they live in Maine. If you read my Pre Trip, nothing went to plan on this one ha! There was covid, then my wife's Nana passed away, and the kids came to stay with us far longer than we had originally anticipated, so it made the big countdown actually better, as they were here with us from June, through now. They will go home this weekend, When my daughter goes home to visit family for her birthday.
To say they were excited doesn't even begin to describe it, as they got to be with us through all the final planning, final shopping, and watching our favourite podcaster weekly.
The time finally came, and we were to get on the road! Where we are about 11 to 11 hours with the time change back to EST away we tend to leave pretty early to get settled on arrival day. MY daughter and her fiancee had come over earlier on Saturday and got settled ,as they would be here to watch the dogs, and feed the fish and keep the pool going etc. Wheels up was to be 12:00 AM CST Sunday the 9th. I took a quick nap, as i am the driver, and we got on the road about 11:45 CSt on saturday, and got the wheels on the truck rolling Mouse Bound.
My Nephew had found this cheesy joke card deck on one of our prior adventures this summer, and kept them aside for the ride to keep me awake. This really did help, and the 4 of us laughed and Laughed the whole way through the night.
We do our best to avoid Atlanta, so we go down through Alabama, then in through the panhandle over to where I 10 meets 75, and go in that way. it adds just a few minutes to the drive, and honestly to not deal with Atlanta is nice.
We took our truck this time for the extra room for cargo, and room for people, so it was a new experience from the beginning as we had no idea how many miles to the tank we would get, and how many stops we would have to make. Turns out y thoughts of at least 300 miles per tank was spot on, and could likely do 350 before we have to really get gas. We timed it so we could stop and get breakfast one one stop, so we don't loose too much time. All in all we lost about 15 minutes total in food and gas stops.
On this trip one of the changes was our Hotel. We were booked at ASM family Suites, and well Thanks to Covid, they did not open that resort. Disney stepped up and delivered the upgrade of a lifetime. We got moved to Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village, in a 2 bedroom Villa!!
We had not told the kids where we were staying for the ultimate surprise, but the GPS as we got there, ruined part of it, but they were still super surprised once we got to our room.
Our room ready text had come while we were still a couple hours out, which was super nice so we could get unpacked before we went to the pool for some lunch and some relaxation. We always spend the day at the resort on arrival day, as after driving all day i cant enjoy a park day.
Once we found parking, and a map to our room, we headed up stairs. We were in The Timon Section, 3rd floor, literally on top of the bus stops, but we drove all week, as it was just easier. More on that to come. Here are some photos i took of our home for the week. First silver lining of a Covid world was this amazing upgrade!
We were a standard view, and had asked to be as close to a Savannah view as possible. We had a great viewing window right outside our door, to the left, and got to walk by it any time we went anywhere. Ive got some great photos to come of that for sure.
My nephew said " this is already more than i expected" and this was just the suite. We had not gone to view the Savannah, or gone to the pool yet. That would be next.
Being an arrival day, we unpacked out suitcases into the dressers, and got situated for the week. Next up we were off to view the Savannah, hit the pool, and relax before we went to the springs for our first dining reservation of this trip.
. It certainly looks like a nice mask though! I’ll be looking for one in your next TR!
I can make it from scratch, but it's just not the same.