After two years of planning and fundraising our trip to Disney World started at 2:30 AM on December 26, 2024 when those going met at the church to jump on our troop’s bus to head to the KCI Airport to take our flight at 5:35 AM

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Our flight landed at the Orlando International Airport at 9:35 AM. We picked up our luggage and loaded a bus to take us to All Star Resort at Walt Disney World.

We ate lunch, checked into our rooms, moved our luggage to our rooms and off we went to start our adventures. We went out front of our resort and caught the Disney Transportation Bus

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Our first stop was EPCOT where each scout  had to interview a cast member from Canada, Mexico, Germany and China and tasted food from the different countries for the American Cultures Merit Badge. I really didn’t think this was going to be very fun, some of the scouts said but it turned out to be one of the best things.

We now started our journey to enjoy the rides. First stop the Ratatouille Ride in French. It was a fun ride. We also saw the show The American Adventure.

We learned on the first day that Walt Disney is a very busy place and the lines for the rides are very long.

After the ride the group went and ate dinner at Connections Cafe’. Then we went back to our resort and went to bed.

Day 2 – Our day started at 6:25 AM when we met in the Food Court of the resort to eat breakfast with the group. At 7:00 AM we headed to the bus stop to make our way to the Magic Kingdom.

We rode the following rides:Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Mad Tea Party, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Space Mountain, Tron, Halls of Presidents and Haunted Mansion. On average the wait times were 65 minutes. We ate lunch at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe’.

After Dinner we took a trip back to Main Street to Town Square Theater where we were all thinking we were going to see a movie or show. To our surprise when we entered the theater we saw the star of Disney World Mickey Mouse.

We then went to the ice cream parlor for ice cream. Then it was time for the firework show at Magic Kingdom.

After the fireworks it was time to head back to the resort.

Day 3 – Our day started at 7:25 AM when we met in the Food Court of the resort to eat breakfast with the group. At 8:00 AM we headed to the bus stop to make our way to the Animal Kingdom.

When we arrived at Animal Kingdom we headed straight back to Avatar Flight of Passage where the line went on forever. It only took us 60 mins to get on the ride.

Then it was on to Na’vi River Journey and Festival of the Lion King.

While we waited for our lunch reservation at Tusker House Restaurant we walked around the Tree of Life and looked at all the animal carvings in the tree trunk. We also took in the show It’s Tough to be a Bug. Lunch was a buffet and it was great. We also met several of the characters Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy and Goofy.

After lunch it was off to Kilimanjaro Safaris where we rode in a safari truck just like you were in Africa. We saw all kinds of animals.

After our safari it was off to Kali River Rapids. This was a water ride. Some of us got wet and some stayed dry..

We headed back to our resort after this ride. Once back we changed into our swimming gear and took a dip in the pool. Then it was off to bed.

Day 4 – Our day started at 6:25 AM when we met in the Food Court of the resort to eat breakfast with the group.

At 7:00 AM we headed to the bus stop to make our way to the Hollywood Studios. Once inside we headed back to the Star Wars area. We got in line for Rise of the Resistance.

We also rode Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. On this ride we were broken up into six groups of six. Each had two pilots, two gunners and two engineers. This ride was very intense.

We headed over to Slinky Dog Dash once again we had a line that went on forever.

Then it was off to lunch at the ABC Commissary. After lunch we headed over to Sunset Boulevard to get in line for the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Where we had a rain storm move in. We stayed in line and rode the ride Then we were off to TheTwilight Zone Tower of Terror.

We grabbed dinner and headed over to the evening show Fantasmic.

After the show we headed back to our resort.

Day 5 – Our day started at 6:25 AM when we met in the Food Court of the resort to eat breakfast with the group. At 8:00 AM we headed to the bus stop to make our way back to EPCOT. Once inside we had straight to Soarin’ Around the World in a hang-glider. Then it was off Mission: Space. The Orange Mission was a journey to Mars and the Green Mission was a journey around earth. Once back on earth we headed to the Land Pavilion to eat lunch.

After lunch we went over to the World Nature Pavilion with the Land ride. Here we learned about growing plants in different ways. Everything grown here is used in the Garden Grill Restaurant.

Then it was once again off to another ride. Spaceship Earth.

This ride was inside the big ball you see in the photo above. Here we learned the history of communication. At the end of the ride there were some games that were in the future when the ride opened in 1971 but are now in use in 2024.

Then we headed to World Nature Pavilion where we rode The Sea with Nemo & Friends, toured the Sea Base and Turtle Talk with Crush.

Then it was time to go back to the Countries once again before the night show where everyone ate dinner.

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fter the night show it was back to the resort ending another night.

Day 6 – Our last day started at 6:25 AM when we met in the Food Court of the resort to eat breakfast with the group. At 8:00 AM we headed to the bus stop to make our way back to the Magic Kingdom by way of Hollywood Studios to allow us to spend New Years Eve in the Magic Kingdom. Once at Hollywood Studios we boarded the Skyliner to EPCOT. Once at EPCOT we crossed the park and got on the Monorail to the Transportation Center where we changed to the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Once there we headed to Princess Fairytale Hall. Here we met some of the Princesses.

Then it was off to Peter Pan’s Flight. Then we headed through the rain to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room to get out of the rain. Then we rode The Magic Carpet of Aladdin.

Then we took a break some got Dole Whip and Mr. Howell purchased ice cream for others.

We headed to Pirates of the Caribbean and then to lunch at Pecos Bill Tall Inn and Cafe’.

Then we boarded the Walt Disney World Railroad and took a trip around the park. When we reached Fantasyland we disembarked. We headed to The Barnstormer.

Then we headed to Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid. Then we headed to Liberty Square to pick our spot for the 6:30 PM fireworks.

After the fireworks we picked up the following rides before the midnight fireworks show. Jungle Cruise, Country Bear Jamboree, Mickey’s PhilharMagic and It’s a Small World. Then it was time for fireworks. This show was even bigger than the 6:30 PM show.. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025. We got back to our rooms at 2:00 AM. Going to be a short night

Day 7 – January 1, 2025. Our last day started at 3:30 AM when we met in the lobby of our resort. Then it was out to the bus spot to catch our bus to the Orlando International Airport.

Our scouts don’t have the same energy they had when they left for Walt Disney World.

I would like to say THANK YOU to Stacy Howell for all the time she spent planning and talking to Disney and the Southwest Airline to get this trip set up.

Just to show everyone how well known our Kansas City Chiefs are known. This wreath was in the lobby of the ALL STAR RESORT where we stayed.

We had a great trip and it is now time to start planning the troops’ next High Adventure Trip.