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Adventures by Disney: Jackson Hole, Wyoming
by Gincy Heins, Guest
Contributor
Does a fun family tour on a bus with strangers
and their children sound like an impossible dream? Then you haven't been on
an Adventure By Disney! Last summer my family and I had the vacation of a
lifetime when we joined strangers who are now friends on "Disney's Quest for
the West" in Wyoming during the preview year.
In typical Disney fashion, this trip had
nothing but the best food, hotels, activities and Adventure Guides. Even the
motor coach in which we traveled was excellent with a "kneeling bear"
feature that lowered the entrance of the bus to make it easier to step on
board. Every desire was anticipated and before you could get hungry or
thirsty, food and water were offered throughout the trip.
But don't think that just because this was
a group event that everyone had to do the same thing. There were always
options for those who did not want to participate in something. For
example, one day we took a boat ride across Jenny Lake to hike up to
Inspiration Point. People had the option of hiking all the way to
Inspiration Point or completing a shorter hike. Later in the trip at the
ranch, people could relax, learn to fly fish or go horseback riding.
The food, whether served in a restaurant or
under the trees, was delicious! The accommodations, whether in a national
park, western town, or on a ranch, were excellent, and the transportation,
whether horse, bike, motor coach, or boat were unparalleled. Transportation
ranged from the "A Ticket" boat ride across Jenny Lake to the "E Ticket"
white water rafting trip!
On our first day, upon arriving at the
airport in Jackson Hole (the only airport in the country to be located in a
National Park) we were greeted by one of our Adventure Guides and our motor
coach driver. They gathered us and our luggage onto what was to be our home
on the road for the next week. We were taken directly to our room at the
Wort Hotel in downtown Jackson Hole
where we spent the first two nights. The rooms in this old, historic hotel
were beautiful, yet rustically decorated to fit in with the history of the
hotel. The first evening everyone in our group met in the lobby of the hotel
for introductions, and then we walked down the street past the famous antler
arches in downtown Jackson Hole for a private catered dinner eaten outside
accompanied by the sound of western music. Dinner was followed by a game,
which gave people the opportunity to mix a little more and get to know each
other. Our group consisted of four couples traveling without children and
four couples traveling with children or grandchildren.
After a picnic lunch at String Lake, our
first guide joined us. The guides know the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone
inside and out and filled our heads with more information than we knew
existed. Frequent stops were made along the way from the Grand Tetons to
Yellowstone at places like the West Thumb Geyser Basin where each guest was
supplied with headphones. Through the use of these headphones, the guide
could be at the front of the group telling about the area, and everyone in
the group could hear, despite a strong blowing wind. Laser thermometers were
passed around among the children so everyone could see the actual
temperature of the water in the thermal features.
A special evening was planned for the
children. They had a wonderful time with the guides, playing games and
participating in activities while eating some of their favorite foods. This
also provided the parents with an "adults only" evening to spend socializing
with the other guests on the trip.
Watching Old Faithful was an amazing
spectacle! It's a sight that has to be seen in person to be fully
understood. Everywhere you turn in Yellowstone, nature provides one surprise
after another. Whether it's the wildlife such as moose, buffalo, deer, or
bears, or the still standing trees burned in the fires of 1988, there are
astonishing sights everywhere you turn.
Our last few nights were spent at the
Spotted Horse Ranch. Every family had their own beautiful cabin. Each cabin
had a breathtaking view and seemed isolated from the others although they
were no more than a couple of minutes apart. From our cabin, we gazed over a
meandering river to a beautiful house on a hill. Fresh cookies were always
available for snacking, meals were family style in the main ranch building
and on the last evening, dinner was under the stars by the campfire.
Early one morning, the group gathered in
jackets, cups of coffee in hand, to watch as the ranch's horses were rounded
up from the hills and driven across the bridge to the stables. We were all
picking out the horse we wanted to ride later that day.
And by this time, we did feel a lot like a
family! Everyone got along so well on the trip. Never once did the children
whine or complain about anything. When our Adventure ended, addresses were
exchanged and tears were shed as we said good-bye to new friends. A reunion
trip is already planned for next summer at Walt Disney World!
For more information on this, or any of the
other Adventures by Disney, please visit their web site at
http://www.adventuresbydisney.com.
This article appeared in our June 8, 2006 newsletter --
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