Disney World 2008 - Trip Report and Photos

Around 400 travelers joined us at Disney World for Labor Day week again this year. This year's trip was similar to previous trips in 2006 and 2007. We seemed to have better weather this year -- the humidity was high, but the temperatures weren't quite as hot, we had very little rain, and we snuck in between hurricanes. Our free passes to the water parks also helped to beat the heat. Can't ask for more than that!

The reviews of the educational programs have been good, with a few exceptions. The facilitators were mostly described as friendly, enthusiastic, informative, and good with the children. Some parents and students felt that the programs were the highlight of the trip, others felt they weren't meaty enough for older children. As I explained last year, and others have reported again this year, the programs for the younger children weren't as behind-the-scenes, hands-on, unique-to-Disney as they could have been.

The programs for the high school students (Making Waves with a Marine Career and Keepers of the Kingdom) and the Showbiz Magic program for older students (6th grade and above) received the best reviews. They were much more interesting, behind-the-scenes, and unique-to-Disney than the other programs, and both the students and chaperones rated them highly (for the most part). All three of these programs will be on the roster again next year. I'll continue to encourage Disney's education staff to develop more programs like these.

The cost of this trip varied, depending on number of family members participating, cost of hotel, and meal arrangements. The special park tickets we received are the least expensive tickets that Disney offers (by far). Families who have gone to Disney before continue to tell me that this trip was very inexpensive compared to what they've paid in the past. And the free dining was wonderful for the convenience of not having to leave the park, the experience of eating international cuisine, and the savings. Most (if not all) of my families say they would rather get the free dining than go when the weather is cooler, and many say they won't go back to Disney without the Dining Plan -- even if they have to pay for it.

I enjoyed meeting the new families who traveled with us, and seeing families who have been on previous trips with us. I look forward to meeting more families on upcoming trips. We're planning to go back to Disney next September (Labor Day week, September 5-12). Hopefully we'll continue to encounter low crowds, good weather, and no hurricanes!

Thanks to everyone who traveled with us!

Trip Photos

I never did get around to posting pictures from this trip and we're way beyond it now. Check out my other Disney trip reports for photos. :)

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