This is Day 7 of my Adventures by Disney – Wyoming, Quest for the West trip report for the adventure we took July 19-25, 2023. Our traveling family was Doobie, 52, Rebekah, 50 and Gideon, 14. If you missed prior installments, click here for the list.
Departure day is here, and no one is happy. Time to put the bags in front of the door again and head off to our final breakfast. After breakfast we had a little more time to get some pictures, then at 10 a.m. it was time to head to the airport.
Goodbye Poker Table
There was no plush tour bus this time, but there was a caravan of three vans and SUVs, one of which was towing a trailer with all of our bags. It was about a 90 minute trip to the airport that flew by way too fast. Our driver was happy to answer all my “city” questions, especially about what it’s like there in the winter. The views were just as beautiful going as they were coming.
Goodbye Wyoming
Goodbye Tetons
Once we arrived at the airport, it was time to say “goodbye” to everyone even though many of them we’d see again inside. Everyone had different flight times with ours being the latest, so one by one we said “goodbye” to family after family until it was just us. Around 5:30 p.m., it was finally time for us to board our plane and depart Wyoming, the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.
Goodbye New Friends
We're the Only Ones Left
Time to Leave Wyoming
Final Thoughts
I really did not know how I would feel about this vacation. I was excited to try something new, but not being an outdoors person at all, I was prepared for the trip to be “just okay” and to be very ready to come home at the end. White water rafting, canoeing, hiking, archery – all of these were things I wanted to cross off my list. But I didn’t expect to fall in love with them, and to be honest, I didn’t. And while I did fall in love with the sights of Wyoming, what I completely underestimated was the Adventures by Disney experience.
What I really came to love was going into a strange, uncomfortable place with the comfort, security and service of Disney leading the way. There’s a comfort and confidence I got knowing everything had been planned and taken care of by Disney that allowed me to relax and enjoy more than I would have otherwise. There was no way I was going to be asked to do something I couldn’t do, and even if for some reason I couldn’t, I’d be taken care of. I appreciated it so much in Wyoming in the U.S.A., imagine how much more I’d appreciate it on a trip to Europe or China or the Middle East. I will admit, this controlled travel is not for everyone. But for someone like me, it is perfect.
In addition to the comfort and security, Adventures by Disney also made sure our experience was top notch. From staying at the Wort Hotel to a night at the extremely difficult to book Old Faithful Inn (the timing of the trips is partially dictated by when they’re able to book the Inn), to Yosemite guide Rich, to having Brooks Lake Lodge all to ourselves, to private meals in public restaurants and everything in between, the trip was top notch the whole way. And while I’m sure our guides were sometimes scurrying behind the scenes, we never knew it. Everything from our perspective was as smooth as could be.
The Magic Makers, Dusty and Kacey
On this, my first Adventure by Disney, I learned that the guides are everything. I’ve already talked about how great Dusty and Kacey were on our trip. Dusty’s interactions with Gideon make me emotional every time I think about it. I don’t think anyone could feel more special. And Kacey impressed me as a leader and a human being as much as anyone I’ve met recently. This is the only Adventure I’ve been on, but I’m told that it’s the norm (not the exception) to have such exemplary guides. If that’s the case, Disney has done an amazing job.
But most of the memories from this trip will include the 23 other people we spent the week with, almost all of whom we had not met before. Every single one I enjoyed hanging out with and talking to and exploring with including the teenagers, the young couples, the parents, the grandparents, the solo travelers and everyone else. Some were introverts, some were outgoing but by the end, all were friends and even poker buddies. This was the most unexpected part of the trip, the most memorable part and what I look forward to experiencing again.
Is Adventures by Disney for everyone? Certainly not. Not everyone wants such an organized trip. Definitely not everyone wants to be “stuck” with a group of strangers for the duration of their trip. And the price is much more than you’d pay on your own for the same location and similar experiences. But for those who are looking for a structured experience with a new group of friends, Adventures by Disney 100% delivers. I now recommend it to everyone I know and hope I have the opportunity to do it again (and again and again and again).