31 Days of Disney: Adventures By Disney Wyoming Vacation

Last summer my family enjoyed a truncated version of the Adventure’s By Disney Wyoming Vacation along with other members of online and print media. I was inspired by the how wonderfully Disney facilitated family time during the trip, and was also incredibly impressed by the level of care and attention to detail on behalf of the Disney Cast Members. But beyond that, the trip itself was also phenomenal. My family is hoping to participate in more of the Adventures By Disney destinations from the Brave Adventure in Scotland to Costa Rica Coast to Coast, but for now, I want to share with you the highlights of our Quest for the West.

I am very east coast-centric.  I grew up in rural Pennsylvania with friends and neighbors who didn’t want to ever leave the state, let alone the country. I have always had a sense of adventure, but for some reason I had managed to live abroad in Europe before having crossed the Mississippi here in our own country. My husband traveled by car from California to Texas when he was seven and then drove from Texas to DC when he was twenty-one, but had never been to Wyoming either. For my family, this trip truly was an adventure.

The first portion of our trip was spent in Jackson, Wyoming. Walking around the shops in town felt like a journey back in time, and the kids and I had a bit of fun with the camera while we enjoyed some down time:

While Adventurers had time to explore Jackson on our own, our time staying in Jackson at the historic Wort Hotel gave us the opportunity to enjoy other adventures such as white water rafting on the Snake River and exploring Grand Teton National Park. We enjoyed hiking to Hidden Falls and ferrying across stunning Jenny Lake.

After spending time at Grand Teton National Park, we toured Yellowstone National Park focusing especially on the Old Faithful geyser basin including mudpots and other thermal phenomena. The kids were given laser thermometers to monitor the temperatures in the geysers at various points including during eruption. The guides explained the science behind each feature, but also went out of their way to make these educational moments interesting and exciting for everyone.

After our time in Yellowstone National Park, we traveled to historic Brooks Lake Lodge, which we had to ourselves for two nights. This was far and away my favorite part of the trip and included horse back riding, canoeing, hiking, and some much needed relaxation time. The staff at Brooks Lake was absolutely amazing, happy to allow us to rest in peace or engage in conversation. I took the opportunity to indulge in what turned out to be one of the best massages of my life, while my friend Maria enjoyed a five mile treadmill run with this as her view:

We had such an amazing time following this itinerary under the expert care of Disney Cast Members that I am tempted to go back again, but with so many adventures to choose from, I want to keep exploring.

Thank you, Disney, for the trip of a lifetime!

Most of the expenses associated with our Adventures By Disney trip were paid, courtesy of Disney. All opinions are my own.