Sept/Oct Planners Check in here

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Travel Mum - you will want me to shut up once i get started on talking about our trip when we get back . Promise to take lots of pics and food porn, I'm your girl.

Kyl - I'm thinking about buying bigger carryon bags. We couldn't get over how large the "suitcases" that people took on the flights in the US. Might pop into Strand Bags. Thanks for the heads up.

Aussietravellers - those tags are gorgeous. Quick question for you, can you walk from AKL to AK? Or do you need to catch a bus?

 

[aussietravellers]

Aussietravellers - those tags are gorgeous. Quick question for you, can you walk from AKL to AK? Or do you need to catch a bus?

No, it is so close, a couple of minutes by bus, but you can not walk. Wish you could, we waited 60 minutes for a bus at AK back to AKL one afternoon, there was a line for AKL that went for metres, outside of the AKL bus line and up the bus stop area and we were second in line! No buses came for an hour and what was infuriating is we could have walked if walking was possible.

 

[kyl]

Travel Mum - you will want me to shut up once i get started on talking about our trip when we get back . Promise to take lots of pics and food porn, I'm your girl.

Kyl - I'm thinking about buying bigger carryon bags. We couldn't get over how large the "suitcases" that people took on the flights in the US. Might pop into Strand Bags. Thanks for the heads up.

Aussietravellers - those tags are gorgeous. Quick question for you, can you walk from AKL to AK? Or do you need to catch a bus?

The carryon I got is very good quality and comes with a pull out handle and wheels but is the shape of a duffle bag so I can put nappys etc and get easy access. They had quite a large range of stuff I am sure you will find something
Aussie travellers I am going to look at your tags....haven't got those yet

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I finally finished the first draft of our WDW intinerary today. It took quite a few days to get it together and I know it needs more work yet but I am pleased that I have the basics down.

I need to do more research on tips and tricks for Islands of Adventure and WWoHP yet.

How are you girls going with your WDW planning?

 

[aussietravellers]

I finally finished the first draft of our WDW intinerary today. It took quite a few days to get it together and I know it needs more work yet but I am pleased that I have the basics down.

I need to do more research on tips and tricks for Islands of Adventure and WWoHP yet.

How are you girls going with your WDW planning?

Nothing on TV tonight except Election results..... So it's Holiday organising time

I need tips and tricks for Universal too. I am really not sure that we will go. I want to go, but I am not sure if there are any tame rides that will be ok for me with my neck, so with WDW we will park in the morning, back to resort or DTD or mini golf etc in the afternoon, then back to park at night. So I am just not sure about Universal. I keep trying to read but can't picture it and I like to be able to visualise what I am organising (which sounds a little crazy )

But aside from that, our park days are organised, our Seaworld and Discovery Cove days are organised. Then I have 5 days that are classed as shopping/waterpark/disneyquest days. So will play just play those days by ear. If there is a rainy day, it will be a Disney Quest or Shopping day.

I'm waiting to get NY organised. I have a rough itinerary, but am hoping to get the Martha Stewart tickets so that leaves two days up in the air. They said three weeks out we should get an email if we are getting tickets and three weeks is this week, so I'm hoping that email will come any day. Wanting to book Wicked tickets too but just have to wait for Martha to lock everything in and buy tickets for that and TOTR etc.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Have you got all of your ADR's organised?

Our NY days are fairly fluid but we have discussed what days are best for the museum/central park/hoboken/etc. for least crowds.

 

[kyl]

I know I keep mentioning this book but the unoffical guide to wdw has day plans in the back of it. Letting you know what ride to go on first etc. It gives you all different plans, those with kids, those without, those that want to do a park in a day and those that will do a park over two days. It is really useful. I am going to take it with us and use it as a rough guide as to what ride attractions etc to do in what order. That with my disney folder and all our ADR's printed off with what park for what date and park hours for that day I am all ready. Now just counting off the long............29 sleeps. Oh please it is taking for ever or am I the only one that feels this way?

 

[aussietravellers]

Have you got all of your ADR's organised?

Yes, had all of those booked at 180 day mark, although I did make one change when Via Napoli opened, booked a lunch or dinner there (can't remember which).

How about you? Are all of your ADR's done.

I do have a few that I have to cancel. A friend of mine who was going with her family are not going now, well they don't think they are (it's 3 weeks out, surely they would have decided by now). Anyway I have to cancel all of her ADR's. So I was going to list them here before I cancel them incase anybody wants them, they are not transferrable but I'll cancel and somebody who wants them can book at the same time

 

[aussietravellers]

Now just counting off the long............29 sleeps. Oh please it is taking for ever or am I the only one that feels this way?

No it's going really quickly for me now. I have just had my travel insurance for my torn artery declined, so I'm not covered for a stroke or any heamorrage problems or any blood clot problems which is a bit annoying. I am now not sure wether to try another insurance company or just hope that nothing happens So I need the time to get this organised and time seems to be running out and going really quickly.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

No it's going really quickly for me now. I have just had my travel insurance for my torn artery declined, so I'm not covered for a stroke or any heamorrage problems or any blood clot problems which is a bit annoying. I am now not sure wether to try another insurance company or just hope that nothing happens So I need the time to get this organised and time seems to be running out and going really quickly.

I hope you can get this sorted out. It must be very stressful for you.

I have my 11 ADR's in place, plus one we will pay OOP for.

Would love to hear where you are going?

Am I the only one who has looked at the menus and kind of already know what I want to order?

And is it wrong that my DD12 has done the same

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I know I keep mentioning this book but the unoffical guide to wdw has day plans in the back of it. Letting you know what ride to go on first etc. It gives you all different plans, those with kids, those without, those that want to do a park in a day and those that will do a park over two days. It is really useful. I am going to take it with us and use it as a rough guide as to what ride attractions etc to do in what order. That with my disney folder and all our ADR's printed off with what park for what date and park hours for that day I am all ready. Now just counting off the long............29 sleeps. Oh please it is taking for ever or am I the only one that feels this way?

Actually things are going pretty quick for me. My work schedule is INSANE from now until I leave so I feel like it is really sneaking up on me.

I have concerns about what we are going to wear at WDW. Trying to desperately find linen 3/4 pants for me, lighter weight shorts for the kids (DH can fend for himself, he's a grown up right) and trying to work our how many t-shirts, undies and socks we will actually need in that kind of heat. I'm thinking 2 of each per day????

 

[Travel Mum]

Travel Mum - you will want me to shut up once i get started on talking about our trip when we get back . Promise to take lots of pics and food porn, I'm your girl.

Oh fantastic, that sounds great and I can't wait to start reading/watching As it's your first WDW trip too, just like it will be ours, it's going to be really helpful learning about your trip

 

[aussietravellers]

I hope you can get this sorted out. It must be very stressful for you.

I have my 11 ADR's in place, plus one we will pay OOP for.

Would love to hear where you are going?

Am I the only one who has looked at the menus and kind of already know what I want to order?

And is it wrong that my DD12 has done the same

You are most definately not the only one who has looked at the menus. I already have a good idea on what I am going to eat (nobody else in the family knows, just me and they just go with the flow and go where I have planned ). Maybe it's a female thing, I am the only female in our house so I seem to be the only planner, the males just don't seem to care about that stuff . Some we have been to before so I didn't even need to look at the menu. And...... some I have made ADR's twice because there is more than one thing I want to eat and I can't decide.

My excuse for looking at menu's was trying to work out wether to do the dining plan or not. We are paying OOP with TIW so are eating at a lot of TS restaurants, two to three a day, but we don't have big meals, like at some for lunch we may just have starters and not mains, we just like sitting down at TS restaurants.

So we have ADR's at
Jiko (twice, once with the safari and once on our own this is our favourite signature)
Boma Breakfast (best breakfast at WDW, have 3 or 4 breaky adr's there)
Chef Mickey's - Breakfast
Tusker House - Breakfast
1900 Park Fare - Breakfast and Dinner
Crystal Palace - Breakfast
Kona - Breakfast
Ohana's - Breakfast (twice)
Cape May's - Breakfast
Captains Grill - Breakfast
Kouzzina - Breakfast
Yak & Yeti - Lunch (twice and may go a third time, we love it there)
Plaza - Lunch
Liberty Tree Tavern - Lunch
CRT - Lunch
Chefs de France - Lunch and Dinner
50's Prime Time - Lunch and Dinner
Spirit of Aloha Luau - Dinner
Sci-Fi - Lunch and Dinner
Teppan Edo - Dinner
Biergarden - Dinner
Coral Reef - Dinner
Garden Grill - Dinner
Le Cellier - Lunch and Dinner
Via Napoli - Lunch
Rose & Crown - Dinner
Yachtmans Steakhouse - Dinner
Rainforest Cafe - Dinner
TRex - Dinner
Raglan Road - Dinner

OMG, that's quite a list I haven't looked at it all lined up like that.

 

[aussietravellers]

I have concerns about what we are going to wear at WDW. Trying to desperately find linen 3/4 pants for me, lighter weight shorts for the kids (DH can fend for himself, he's a grown up right) and trying to work our how many t-shirts, undies and socks we will actually need in that kind of heat. I'm thinking 2 of each per day????

At WDW we will just wear shorts and mainly polo type tops. I will probably be in Tshirts but my hair is long so it will cover my neck. But polos to protect necks from the sun as our necks got so burnt wandering around in the sun. I've just got new shorts from Country Road, they are below then knee and really light and comfortable (and were a bargain, I went to Witchery and the CR ones were cheaper , about $10 cheaper) and I had a discount voucher at CR too so they were cheaper again I know we will buy tops over there too, so I probably will only take 6 each. What annoys me is that I pack all of these clothes and we all just end up wearing our favourites over and over again. So I am going to try and pack less

We usually take about a weeks worth of undies each and then I just wash them and dry them in the shower. Socks, not too many as we will just wear slip on shoes (crocs and croc thongs), so maybe just two pairs, one on, one being washed.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Ummmm, yeah what a list .

Amazing.

We have 11 ADR's for our 11 days for:-

Whispering Canyon - breakfast
Yak & Yeti - lunch
Chef Mickeys - lunch
Sci-Fi Diner - lunch
1900 Park Fare - breakfast
Teppan Edo - lunch
Biergarten - lunch
Flying Fish - dinner
Kona Cafe - dinner
50's Prime Time Cafe - lunch
Raglan Road - dinner
Boma - breakfast

So tell me, what do you recommend for the following:-

Boma breakky
1900 Park Fare breakky
Yak & Yeti lunch
50's Prime Time - lunch
Sci Fi - lunch
Teppan Edo
Biegarten
Raglan Road - dinner

 

[aussietravellers]

Ummmm, yeah what a list .

Amazing.

We have 11 ADR's for our 11 days for:-

Whispering Canyon - breakfast
Yak & Yeti - lunch
Chef Mickeys - lunch
Sci-Fi Diner - lunch
1900 Park Fare - breakfast
Teppan Edo - lunch
Biergarten - lunch
Flying Fish - dinner
Kona Cafe - dinner
50's Prime Time Cafe - lunch
Raglan Road - dinner
Boma - breakfast

So tell me, what do you recommend for the following:-

Boma breakky
They have this amazing juice (can't remember the name). It's buffet so there is so much to choose from and it's all good. It has a very healthy feel to the breakfast, lots of bran muffins and quinoa porrige, healthy grainy food. I just remember this amazing baked ham and these yummy breakfast potatoes. But the whole buffet was yummy, all of the hot food too was delicious.

1900 Park Fare breakky
I can't remember As you can see, we eat at a lot of restaurants. But this was such a fun meal with the Mad Hatter looking for DS who was hiding around the restaurant and he was screaming his name and carrying on. It was so funny.

Yak & Yeti lunch
I love the lettuce cups, the chicken low mein and the chicken rice was delicious!

50's Prime Time - lunch
I have an addiction to the chicken pot pie. I even bought disney recipe books for the recipe (that was about 15 years ago, now you can just get it online) I don't know that it is that good, but it's something that I remember from so long and they used to have it too at Carnation Cafe at Disneyland and I can remember eating that when I was little.

Sci Fi - lunch
I have to say that all I have ever eaten here is the spinach and artichoke dip. (it's a starter). I'm not an artichoke eater but I loved this dip. It's hot and the cheese is runny and it is just yum. I do plan on trying something else, but nobody will share the dip with me and I just can't get past it

Teppan Edo
I think it will be Miso Soup and the chicken and large prawn teppan-yaki combo

Biegarten
Buffet, lots of meats and salads, it's all yummy.

Raglan Road - dinner
actually have not eaten here before, but I have my eye on I think the shepherd pie or cottage pie, can't remember which it is, but that's what I remember from the menu check that I did

OK, my mouth is watering ... All I can think about is food, and everyone I was typing about I was picturing that meal sitting on the table, YUM

You have a great list! They are all good. I forgot about Whispering Canyon I wanted to book there, oh well, next trip We are there for 22 nights though, so we do have time for a quite a few ADR's

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Thanks for all of the reviews. That's really helpful.

I have an amazing artichoke cobb loaf dip recipe that people always drool over. You are welcome to it if you like.

My mouth is watering thinking about all of the food too LOL.

 

[aussietravellers]

I would love the recipe for your dip

I have to tell you, I had to go and get something to eat last night after thinking about all of that food.

Just a quick note for Sept WDW travellers.

Park hours and schedules have changed slightly for MK and HS.

For HS, some nights have added Fantasmic and then most of the nights already with it have added a second showing and on the nights where there is a 2nd Fantasmic, park hours have changed to 9.30pm closing instead of 8pm

MK has just changed a few of their opening hours and an EMH's day.

 

[kyl]

O.k so I have read all your ADRs and now just want to leave like NOW! Oh come on 28 days...... instead I have decided to show you mine and ask what you all think. Given we have never been before to WDW and really have no idea as to what is good or bad. Although I do know that Sci Fi doesn't have the best name. But before anyone gives negative feedback about that one I know we are really going because I know my son would love to sit in those cars!!!!!!
O.k so here it all is. Oh I am getting excited !
Day 1 Arrive at 5am in the morning so needless to say a sleep will be first on the list. I have booked dinner at the Raglan Road Irish Pub. As I thought we would like to have a walk around DTD after or before?
Day 2 Of to Epcot we go, dinner at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. It will be our friends bday who will be eatting with us. Can't wait.
Day3 Animal kingdom. Yak and Yeti for lunch. That looks like yum yum to me!
Day4 Animal kingdom this time donald ducks breakfast at tusker house. Oh and a special night away from the kids I booked a savana room for hubby and me and our MIL will go back to CSR with the kids. So of course we will try out Jirko for dinner all booked!
Day5 Epcot this time biergarten for early dinner. I mean like 4.30pm early! But hey at least we got in.
Day6 Epcot again this time Le Chef de France for dinner. DH says he wants the snails, YUK.
Day7 Magice kingdom-chef mickeys for dinner but could only get in for 8.50pm. Yikes I hope the kids hold out???
Day8 Shopping day....la la la. Then of to plant hollywood for dinner.
Day9 magic kingdom again and we are going to CRT...I am really looking forward to seeing my girls excitement for this one. We have breakfast reservations.
Day10 Hollywood studios, Sci fi dine in for lunch.
Day11 Hollywood studios again oBooked hollywood and vine for lunch. Hope it is o.k mixed reviews?
Day 12. Epcot lunch at teppan edo and dinner at garden grill. Oh boy we will be full that night. Last day in the parks.
Day 13 KSC.....YAY Have booked with a tour bus company to pick us up at all stars music resort. Don't know yet how we will get there at 7.30am! Think we might just cab it. Mr 3 is not going or MIL they are going to relax at the resort. So just me, DH, DD(11) and DD(7). Looking forward to it.
So what do you all think ? I am a little iffy over hollywood and vine? But there wasn't much else to eat at in hollywood studios for that date.
Love reading all your ADRs its good to know I am not the only one getting all ready!

 

[aussietravellers]

O.k so I have read all your ADRs and now just want to leave like NOW! Oh come on 28 days...... instead I have decided to show you mine and ask what you all think. Given we have never been before to WDW and really have no idea as to what is good or bad. Although I do know that Sci Fi doesn't have the best name. But before anyone gives negative feedback about that one I know we are really going because I know my son would love to sit in those cars!!!!!!
O.k so here it all is. Oh I am getting excited !
Day 1 Arrive at 5am in the morning so needless to say a sleep will be first on the list. I have booked dinner at the Raglan Road Irish Pub. As I thought we would like to have a walk around DTD after or before?
Day 2 Of to Epcot we go, dinner at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. It will be our friends bday who will be eatting with us. Can't wait.
Day3 Animal kingdom. Yak and Yeti for lunch. That looks like yum yum to me!
Day4 Animal kingdom this time donald ducks breakfast at tusker house. Oh and a special night away from the kids I booked a savana room for hubby and me and our MIL will go back to CSR with the kids. So of course we will try out Jirko for dinner all booked!
Day5 Epcot this time biergarten for early dinner. I mean like 4.30pm early! But hey at least we got in.
Day6 Epcot again this time Le Chef de France for dinner. DH says he wants the snails, YUK.
Day7 Magice kingdom-chef mickeys for dinner but could only get in for 8.50pm. Yikes I hope the kids hold out???
Day8 Shopping day....la la la. Then of to plant hollywood for dinner.
Day9 magic kingdom again and we are going to CRT...I am really looking forward to seeing my girls excitement for this one. We have breakfast reservations.
Day10 Hollywood studios, Sci fi dine in for lunch.
Day11 Hollywood studios again oBooked hollywood and vine for lunch. Hope it is o.k mixed reviews?
Day 12. Epcot lunch at teppan edo and dinner at garden grill. Oh boy we will be full that night. Last day in the parks.
Day 13 KSC.....YAY Have booked with a tour bus company to pick us up at all stars music resort. Don't know yet how we will get there at 7.30am! Think we might just cab it. Mr 3 is not going or MIL they are going to relax at the resort. So just me, DH, DD(11) and DD(7). Looking forward to it.
So what do you all think ? I am a little iffy over hollywood and vine? But there wasn't much else to eat at in hollywood studios for that date.
Love reading all your ADRs its good to know I am not the only one getting all ready!

AWESOME

I will not give you negative feedback on Sci-Fi. It is a place that you do not go to for the world renound food, it has fantastic atmosphere! If my DS could choose only one restaurant at the whole of WDW it would be Sci-Fi, he was constantly wanting to go there on our last trip, drove me crazy! So for the atmosphere you will LOVE it! It's a great choice!

My only of your list is Hollywood and Vine As you can see we eat at a lot of TS restaurants and this place is the only place at WDW that we will not go back to, unless of course they give it a major overhaul and get some great characters like Toy Story or something, then we would go for the characters not the food, but going just for food I have friends who went for three weeks too and they will be there the same time as us on this trip and when we were talking about restaurants and organising our ADR's she said "the only one we will not go to is H&V", it was the worst meal they had at WDW. But in saying that, everybodies tastes are different, your kids may love those characters (do they have them at lunch) and some do go there and have a great meal. I personally would swap that lunch for 50's Prime Time if you could get it, it is so much fun, really a unique experience.

We took the bus tour from ASM to KSC. We took a taxi, it was too early and we wanted to make sure we were not late. On the bus to KSC we made a stop at some Everglades boat ride thing and some people were getting off there. The driver said that if anybody who hadn't booked on that part of the tour wanted to go, then hop off and I think we paid him (can't remember how much it was each but it wasn't much) and OMG, it was SOOOOO much fun. We were going through the everglades on these boats (you wear earmuffs) that I saw once on CSI Miami and there were alligators everywhere, we slowed down at one stage and one was just cruising right beside the boat. We were not there long, maybe an hour and then the bus was there waiting for us and we continued along to KSC. I had booked the tour from here and we didn't know about the optional everglades part of the tour. We still had plenty of time at KSC, even saw a rocket launch. It was such a great day and a great tour.

How exciting going to AKL for that night. Oh that will be amazing. I do really recommend adding a request for Arusha Savannah or if you can't asking for it when you check in, it's got great animals and is such a nice savannah. We have requested Arusha Savannah, Zebra Trail (there are two trails and the Zebra trail is the one closest to the restaurants and pool) as that's what we had last time and it was just perfect. Arusha Savannah is so popular that in the 2011 prices they have added an additional room category which is more expensive for Arusha Savannah as its the best one, but it's the same price for the rest of this year