Got back early Sunday morning, it was a great holiday. We told the kids Christmas morning we were going the next day, only the six year old really understood. It was an 1,100 mile drive, and we didn’t book a hotel along the way, instead deciding to play it by ear and see how far we could get. We ended up going all the way, getting to WDW at about 3AM. It was 20 hours total, about 17 actual driving and three for stops. This trip was a bit of a trial run as it’s the first time we’ve gone to Disney with three kids
The magic bands are hugely convenient, didn’t have a problem with them at all. It was nice not having to pull a card out to get in the room or to pay for merch. We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and we’ll stay there again when we go back, it’s a very nice resort and not too large.
Back on the magic bands, there is one draw back. You can book fast passes in advance, but only three per park per day. But, you can’t add to the three evewn when at the park. That’s opposed to the Key to the Kingdom cards, which you can get a fast pass every two hours. Perhaps because the magic bands are still new, but they are giving the cards out still, and we used those to get additional fast passes. A few employees were quite perturbed we did this for some reason.
The parks were packed, Magic Kingdom was closed to entry by 10AM on the 30th and 31st. But despite that we didn’t wait in line for a long time on any ride, partly due to fast passes, partly due to the quite new app which shows wait times. We also took advantage of switch passes. We took turns going up to the Fast Pass line holding a small child/pushing a pushchair, told them we couldn’t ride while the spouses did due to the child and got given a switch pass, which allows for three riders to go into the fast pass line. It’s a system open to abuse, and we did so a great deal. I’ve never ridden as many rides as I did this time, despite the crowds.
The fireworks on New Years were spectacular as you’d expect. Instead of having them above the castle only, for the finale they were above the castle and about 8 identical displays around the perimieter of Magic Kingdom so it was effectively daylight when they were all going off, there were that many fireworks.
We got four sets of the flashing ears, and they worked great for Fantasmic. But, there was practically no one else wearing them, so it was a little ineffective. We were on the front row, though, so didn’t give a shit, really.
We are going again for New Years 2016, I’m already looking forward to it! By then all the kids should all be over 40 inches so will be able to ride most of the rides. They all loved things like the teacups, which I spin relentlessly. The Barnstormer was popular with my two year old, and my six year old loved every rollercoaster. Whe was about an inch short for Rockin’ Roller-coaster, but I promised her she would ride it. And thanks to the thick in-room soap in the heels of her socks, she did a few days later
We got her Bibbity-Bobbity Boutique, which was expensive, but she enjoyed it. She also got picked to be The Beast in Belle’s story time in Fantasy Land (which wasn’t open last time we went). I also got her onto Jedi training, but due to weather she got her pic with Vader, but didn’t get to fight him.
Back at work today, and it’s shit