Walt Disney World: Day Seven -- Homeward Bound

Friday finally was upon us, and with it, the realization that we had no days left on our Park Hopper Passes. Bummer. But, I guess we were ready to go home. Even though we could have stayed longer, it felt as if it was time to go.

We did have one more Disney stop to make, though. We had to pick up a few last minute things in Downtown Disney. We wanted a few small things for family and friends, and we also wanted some t-shirts and . . .well, stuff. . . for ourselves.

I’d been debating about a Grumpy Football Jersey I’d seen in the Team Mickey store (which is a sporting goods store that blends Mickey and ESPN in a very interesting mix of clothing and accessories). It really was a sharp Jersey – but I’m still frugal to a fault. I finally decided that I couldn’t justify the $59 price tag for a jersey I knew would hang in the closet for 99% of the time. However, I did find a hooded Grumpy sweatshirt at the Disney store for about $5 less, that I could justify because I wear this kind of sweatshirt all of the time. (I know – I’m a little crazy on the topic of spending, but it’s just the way I am.)

Anyway, after about an hour, we made our final purchases and checked out. Sweatshirts, cups, hats, t-shirts, and other assorted things. Yeah, we're definitely tourists! Back at the car, we had no problem integrating everything into our bags. It was then off to Thrifty to return our car.

The return was absolutely seamless, as was the trip back to the airport. Even at the airport, things went smoothly, although the JetBlue counters were far busier on this Friday afternoon than they had been on the Saturday morning when we’d left the week before.

We had no difficulty checking both of the rifles Jake had purchased. We’d asked for a big box when we got the first one in the Magic Kingdom, and both rifles Jake got fit into the one box. The airline then taped it up, tagged it, and checked it through, and I’m happy to say they arrived in one piece and continue to be used today.

Everything else went smoothly as well. Baggage claim, no problem. I’d called for the van from the off-site parking while still on the plane and, even though we had about a 15 minute wait, they came and got us and took us back to the off-site facility, where I paid our tab while Sue and Jake got into our warmed-up-and-ready-to-go car. (And how sweet that was on a cold January evening!)

Overall, Disney World is a wonderful vacation that I recommend whole-heartedly. I’ve tried to sprinkle tips and ideas throughout the experiences I detail in each of the days I wrote about, but to sum up briefly, here’s a couple tips that are invaluable:

1) Travel during Disney’s low season. Ideally, go between Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas, or from about January 5 through February 10 (leaving out Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend). The lines are generally short, the hotel and airfare prices are down, and you can often get same-day reservations, especially at lunch, at some of the busiest restaraunts.

2) Use the Fast Pass option to minimize wait times. Even during the low season, you’ll still have an occasional line (like on Soarin’ or Everest). The Fast Pass gives you the option to do other things, and the shorter line is usually significantly shorter.

3) Take advantage of the Disney Photo Pass, and get the $99 CD to get some good quality pictures. It’s a good investment.

4) Buying your park passes online from Disney saves you money. They’ll mail the tickets to you in plenty of time for the trip. The Park Hopper option is worth the money, especially if you like to jump around, as we do. You don’t need it, but it’s nice to have.

5) Don't overplan. By that, I mean, leave things a little loose, like meals and park arrival time, so that you don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you feel compelled to get to the park the moment they open the gates, and to a lunch reservation, and to a dinner reservation, and to the closing show by a specific time every single day, you'll be putting pressure on yourself that may spoil your trip. Enjoy! Take your time! It's a fun place! Savor it! The only time critical things are the Kilimanjaro Safari ride (if you want to see the animals, you have to ride it either early or late) and the end-of-day shows at Epcot, MGM, and Magic Kingdom. Other than that, have fun!

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and all of the other pages. Your comments here, and on every page, are welcome, and I’ll be happy to respond to any questions as well.

Have fun, and get yourself to Orlando!