A Mother-Daughter Sea/Land August Trip - UPDATE! CHANGES??? (2/24)

[LittleGirlGrey]

Oh no! Sorry you've been sick!!!

 

[RGirl]

I really like your current plan! Please stay in the Royal Room so that I can live vicariously through you. I liked it last year when we did the parks before our cruise. Seemed to work well for us.

Thanks! I am pretty sure that we will stay there, but obviously, if some kind of great code came out, well, you know......

Yes, I think parks first makes the most sense - the cruise will be so nice and relaxing after all the craziness of running around the parks.

That's funny about Willow being disappointed about going to Disney. When we told Reid that we were going to Disney this year, he wanted to know if we would also be going on the "Mickey boat." He was very upset when I told him no. Who would have thought little kids would love cruising so much?

Isn't it hilarious????? I never in a million years would have guessed that Willow would prefer a cruise to the parks! I kind of get it though - I am positively obsessed with cruising now. I LOVED it!

I wouldn't worry about the crowds too much. I don't think the parks or boat will be empty by any means. But, I wouldn't think it would be horrible either.

You know, I am now starting to think you are right. It looks like our schools start REALLY late compared to a lot of areas of the country. So I'm thinking that our dates will be at the tail-end of most people's summer break (or even after school has started for some). Therefore, maybe the crowds won't be as horrifying as I am imagining. Honestly, knowing that I have the cruise ahead of me should help me keep myself from getting Crowd Freak Out Syndrome anyway.

As for the heat - it will be hot. We have pretty much the same weather as Florida and August is still hot & humid. July is worse but August isn't great. Take some water spritzing fans & bottled water into the parks with y'all. I'm having trouble remember from your report of last year's trip - did y'all do afternoon pool breaks? That would probably help.

I lived in Miami for a year. I remember driving across the border into Florida (pretty sure it was August), and the A/C went out in my car. I am NOT looking forward to revisiting that heat. But I think if we can maintain our usual early starts, add in a pool break, and get used to staying out later in the evening, we should be good. The late nights will prepare us for enjoying the cruise more too as we will be more likely to attend the nighttime events.

And last but not least - hurricanes. I say if those are the dates & prices that work best for you - just go for it. If there is a disturbance, they will sail away from it. This may mean a change in itinerary. But, since I know you don't care as much about the ports, that probably wouldn't be a huge deal for y'all.

Oh, that is good to know! I had no idea what they would do in the event of a storm. I would not mind at all missing the ports - honestly, I have zero interest in the Caribbean ports.

So glad you started a new pre-trip report. Loved reading along for the last one. Have you thought about a June trip? Less chance of hurricanes and the weather in Florida is just a little bit better. Not nearly as humid as August. If not, you should still be fine. In the event of a hurricane the ship will usually reroute to a different area to avoid the hurricane. Nice thing is the hurricanes tend to be slow moving and they will know way in advance where they are heading. Cruises are rarely cancelled for hurricanes you just may end up on an island that you hadn't intended to visit!

So glad you have enjoyed the TR! Yes, a June trip would be nicer probably, but our schools get out VERY late - summer vacation in WDW will be in full swing; I think our crowd issues will be less in late August, and it gives me a couple of extra months to save money. Most importantly, though, the idea of doing our big vacation as soon as summer break starts doesn't appeal to me that much - I really like the idea of ending the summer with a bang before heading back to school.

I am so relieved to know that they just alter the course of the cruise. I have no problem at all with that - I have no interest in the Caribbean ports (other than Castaway Cay), so I will not be put out if the route changes.

Also, love the idea of a Panama Canal trip. I spent 2 years in the Peace Corps in Panama and loved every minute of it. Just know that it takes about 6-7 hours to transit the canal so it is really an all day affair. The locks, on both ends, are neat and the area called Culebra Cut (near the Pacific side) is definitely worth spending time to see. That is where most of the actual "digging" took place and continues to this day. Most of the canal resulted from a river damn flooding low lying valleys.

Thanks for the info! It is so neat to hear about the PC!!!! It really is a dream trip for me, and I hope maybe we can do it in 2014. The 6 to 7-hour transit sounds very interesting - plenty of opportunity to see things. Tracy Arm in Alaska was pretty much an all-day affair, and it was awesome. There was more to see by-the-minute on Tracy Arm, I'm sure, but I love the idea that you know you can't miss it because it will be going on all day. You don't happen to know of any good children's books about the canal, do you?

Whichever you chose i will enjoy reading along.

Thanks so much! I love being able to relive trips with my DIS friends!

YAY! That sounds like such a great plan!!! She is going to love it!!! I too want to travel on the Fantasy, but only because of Pepe the King Prawn!!! I love him. So I will be VERY excited to hear your TR on the Fantasy! That will be SUCH a great suprise for her, thinking she's going back to the airport and instead going to the ship. Seeing the ship from Disney Transportation is AWESOME!

I really hope the surprise works - I mean, can you imagine???? I have never had a surprise like that in my life! And, seriously, cruising on the Fantasy is her greatest dream in life right now.

My mom and I have done the Western Cruise 3 times, but before the new ships of course. I would say you should stay onboard at least one day while at port. That way you can see things on the boat with less people. I'm so excited to hear more!!!!

You know, I have no interest at all in the ports. The excursions don't appeal to me that much, and having to transport my child to them without a carseat really doesn't appeal to me. I will research more obviously, but I am pretty sure that we will spend more than one port day on the ship - I am looking forward to those days as our opportunities to enjoy the pools and Aqua Duck (if Willow is tall enough) without HUGE crowds.

 

[RGirl]

Wow, two weeks of Disney vacation! I'm officially jealous!

I still don't know if I can really swing it, but I think I can! Two weeks is a long vacation, but it will be our only true vacation for the year, and WDW is so far away from us. It just seems like the right thing to do!

I think your plan sounds awesome! Florida is hot in August- but its not like your skin is going to melt off or anything, its totally manageable!

Well, as long as my skin isn't melting, all should be well!

I think a Royal Room sounds perfect! I LOVE POR, it is my fav moderate, so I think you made an excellent choice! It is so pretty, it has such an awesome food court and I love having the boat to DTD.

Oh, I didn't realize you had stayed there. Any suggestions on things to do there or special things about it? I am reading up on it, but I don't know much yet.

We have never been to DTD! So I think this will be incentive to carve out some time to do that!

AGGGGHHHHHHGGGG! I'm sooooo sorry to be so late!! I was stuck at work all weekend!

Going back to actually read now.

No worries!

I think your plan sounds great!!

I don't think you should worry too much about August. It will be very, very hot but you can take pool breaks and since so many ride queues are air conditioned, you should be fine. We did August last year, and it was much more crowded than April, but totally manageable. In fact, the character lines were longer in April than they were on the August trip!

That is great to hear that August wasn't terrible! I am feeling better and better about it. Still worried about hurricanes though..... (We are kind of used to perfect weather at WDW, so even the usual Florida rain storms will be an adjustment for us. )

Yay for POR Royal Room!! That's one of the packages that I currently have saved! If the BCV points rental doesn't work out, that may be where we end up as well. If you stay at POR, you'll almost have to go to DTD, the boat ride there is great!

Yes - I don't think we can avoid DTD if we stay there!

I hope the points rental works out for you - I loved our awesome rental experience.

I think the surprise will be amazing too! That will be so much fun!

I really hope it works. I just can't imagine how awesome it would be to be surprised like that!!!

***

I think you're right. Between the 3 of us, we should be able to keep 3 TRs or PTRs running continuously. I just though about it yesterday and realized that I likely won't finish my TR until November or December at the rate I'm going. And 6 months isn't too early to start a PTR, so I should be good!

6 months is certainly not to early! Eleven months, well......

Oh no! I hope that you're feeling better very soon. And what an awful time too, I'm sure you're very busy with back to school and such.

Feel Better!

Thanks. MUCH better today. And kind of excited that I made it through something like this with no ER visit, no steroids, no antibiotics - that is the first time I have managed to do that in over a decade. So that is actually pretty cool!!!!

Oh no! Sorry you've been sick!!!

Thanks. Definitely better today.

 

[amandaw]

No - I have not abandoned my PTR already!

I have been struck down with the flu since Sunday. Now that my fever has come down a bit from 103 and I can breathe again (well, sort of), I thought I would check in.

I hope to get replies done tonight, but first I want to try to catch up on all of your TRs. ​

I am so sorry to hear that you're sick! Take good care of yourself & I really hope you feel better real soon!

 

[RGirl]

Wow - I have really been neglecting this PTR. But I don't think anyone noticed.

In real life news, we survived the first week of kindergarten. (I think I will try to upload some pictures tonight to post. ) It was kind of crazy because the schedule was nuts. The first week of September, Willow had no school on Monday (holiday), no kindergarten on Tuesday (so she went to preschool), a 45-minute evaluation with her kindergarten teacher on Wednesday, a half day of kindergarten with half her class on Thursday, and no kindergarten on Friday (so she went back to preschool). This week, she had a full day of kindergarten with half the class on Monday, no kindergarten on Tuesday (so she went back to preschool for one last day), and finally full days with full class on Wednesday through the rest of the week. CRAZY!

Anyway, it has gone well. She is really enjoying it, but I did not expect that we would both be so totally exhausted. I can't believe that it is so different from preschool - I mean, she has been doing all day preschool/daycare for years. But different it is! The greatest news, however, is that we have finally worked out a schedule that should work for us. You see, I usually get to work very early, but kindergarten doesn't start until 8:20; after-school care ends at 5:30. I hate to leave her in that late, but I know it would happen a LOT if I can't get to work until 8:30. So I had arranged to take her to her friend's bus stop and drive to work from there (that would allow me to get to work at about 8:00, which is better but still not great). We did that on Monday and Wednesday - I have to say, watching her go off on the bus was a bit much for me. I dealt quite well with her starting kindergarten because she is SO ready, but the bus really kind of freaked me out. ANYWAY , my wonderful father, out of the blue, offered to have me drop Willow off at their house every morning at 7:00 and he will then drive her to school. We have done that the last two days, and it has been great! I pack her a breakfast to eat at my folks' house, she gets extra time with her Poppy, she is being driven to school, and I get to work by 7:15, which means that I can leave as early as 3:45 (or work a little extra, earn extra leave, and still pick her up before 5). I am SO grateful to my dad!

A funny semi-Disney-related story: Willow's preschool does not allow clothing with any characters on it. Willow had chosen some character shirts when shopping for kindergarten. On Tuesday, she asked if she could wear one of her new kindergarten shirts to her last day of preschool (I had not allowed her to wear her new clothes there because everything gets stained). I looked up, and the shirt had Curious George on it, so I said no.

Willow: WHHHYYYYYYYYY???????

Me: Willow, it has a character on it. You know you can't wear a character shirt to preschool.

Willow: MOM! Curious George is NOT a character!!! I have NEVER seen him at Disney World!!!



Okay, enough of all that. For now anyway. On trip news, well, there isn't much obviously - I mean, it's a million years from now. However, I am already getting pretty excited about it! I am thinking that we may try some totally new things for us - new dining, shows, etc. Could be great! I will need to talk specifics with all of you who have already done these things that we have missed so far. Also, my mom has given some little hints that she might be thinking about joining us on the cruise again, so there is a remote possibility that I would get the chance to write another Two Judies Report! ​

 

[LittleGirlGrey]

HAZAA! Good days for school! She's going to have a blast. I can't for the life of me remember my Kindergarden experience, but I know she'll have a blast!

What will be her first Character Shirt then on Monday? Mr.George?

YAY for Two Judies! Can't wait to hear more!!!

 

[RGirl]

HAZAA! Good days for school! She's going to have a blast. I can't for the life of me remember my Kindergarden experience, but I know she'll have a blast!

What will be her first Character Shirt then on Monday? Mr.George?

YAY for Two Judies! Can't wait to hear more!!!

So far, she has worn mostly Minnie/Mickey shirts and Hello Kitty. George as well. Hmm - not sure she has worn anything except character shirts at this point!

 

[LittleGirlGrey]

So far, she has worn mostly Minnie/Mickey shirts and Hello Kitty. George as well. Hmm - not sure she has worn anything except character shirts at this point!

I have quite a few character shirts myself! From Disney though, mostly Tinker Bell. And then I love Doctor Who and Star Wars and this awesome artist likes to mesh Star Wars and Doctor Who and other awesome things with Disney. So I have a Boo dressed as Leia and Mike dressed as Chewbacca. Then I have Dory "forgetting" who she is and where she is going because of this alien race from Doctor Who who makes you forget...SO Dory! SO cute!

 

[megan511]

I'm finally here Roni!

Your plans sound amazing! The POR Royal Rooms are so cute! I want to stay in one whenever Tessa gets into princesses. I think that Willow will love it.

A week in Disney then a week on a cruise? that surprise sounds fabulous if you can pull it off. I don't know if I could keep the secret. Willow's face will be priceless!

We went the last week of August through Labor Day last year. I didn't think it was too bad. We had afternoon showers everyday but they didn't last long. Most of the time we would get off a ride & see that it had rained while we were inside. We only had 2 days where the rain lingered, but one of those was in the evening when we were done with parks. Crowds were I thought very manageable. Of course I have never been to Disney during really slow times. The only thing I have to compare it to was early May which the crowds were about the same & Memorial Day week which August was less crowded. Schools here start after Labor Day & finish well into June so August is going to be our best bet for future trips too.

As far as the heat, yes it is hot. But Disney has so many indoor attractions that hopefully you will be able to stay cool. We always bring lots of water in with us too.

I'm so sorry you have been sick but I'm glad you didn't have to go to the ER! How scary, I'm happy you made it through fighting the flu on your own.

I'm glad everything is going well with Willow & school & you were able to work out a schedule that works out for everyone. How sweet tht your dad can help out. I love having my parents close by for reasons like that.

I'm sorry I'm so late but I'm excited to read about all your plans!

 

[shan23877]

That sounds like a crazy week! I can see the logic in getting the kids used to the new setting, but WOW! is that tough on the parents trying to figure out the logistics of all of that. We're finally getting into a groove here, but mostly because the districts here are all half day. For the first 3 weeks, the teacher sent home daily communication listing another little something that the kids should be working on from home each day (my guess is that it's in order for them to keep up with the rest of the state-which is full day- for testing purposes). So now we do kindergarten in the mornings, and mommy school in the afternoon for about 2 hours.

Yay! for you dad! That sounds like a perfect solution. What a relief that must be to you.

Love the Curious George story. She had a good point...

***

You know I can't wait to start talking dining/show options! I'm already sketching out our next DxDP adventure for the possible next trip.

And by the way-I noticed.

 

[amandaw]

You know I noticed your absence....I'm glad you're back!

That really is a crazy schedule. I mean.....I understand why they do it that way but it just seems like a lot. I'm glad to hear she's doing well. I wouldn't be able to handle the whole bus thing either. Reid always talks about riding the bus when he gets to big boy school. I finally just busted his bubble the other day & informed him that I would be bringing him & picking him up. That is so awesome that your dad offered to take Willow to school! What a tremendous help!

I love the story about the Curious George shirt! Hilarious! Gotta love our "Disney kids"!

 

[RGirl]

I'm finally here Roni!

Hi Megan!!!

Your plans sound amazing! The POR Royal Rooms are so cute! I want to stay in one whenever Tessa gets into princesses. I think that Willow will love it.

Yeah, I think they look very fun. I am getting excited about it! However, if I suddenly got a great discount code for an Epcot resort, well...... :

A week in Disney then a week on a cruise? that surprise sounds fabulous if you can pull it off. I don't know if I could keep the secret. Willow's face will be priceless!

Yeah, it seems a very luxurious and spoiled trip - two weeks, land AND sea! But man, it does sound soooo good! I have no idea whether I'll be able to pull off the surprise, but I hope so!

We went the last week of August through Labor Day last year. I didn't think it was too bad. We had afternoon showers everyday but they didn't last long. Most of the time we would get off a ride & see that it had rained while we were inside. We only had 2 days where the rain lingered, but one of those was in the evening when we were done with parks. Crowds were I thought very manageable. Of course I have never been to Disney during really slow times. The only thing I have to compare it to was early May which the crowds were about the same & Memorial Day week which August was less crowded. Schools here start after Labor Day & finish well into June so August is going to be our best bet for future trips too.

August will be best for us too as school doesn't start here until after Labor Day either and, therefore, of course, doesn't get out until late June. I'm glad to hear that you weren't totally miserable. I think I just need to learn how to slow down a little bit (given the heat) - that is something I need to learn anyway - I miss a lot of the little things by always being in such an all-fired hurry (both at WDW and in really life ).

As far as the heat, yes it is hot. But Disney has so many indoor attractions that hopefully you will be able to stay cool. We always bring lots of water in with us too.

Good to hear that the heat didn't get you down too much. I think it will be challenging, but if we can get out to the parks early and break midday at the pool, I think we will be okay. I hope so!

I'm so sorry you have been sick but I'm glad you didn't have to go to the ER! How scary, I'm happy you made it through fighting the flu on your own.

Thanks! Still haven't shaken the deep cough, but I'm not totally run down anymore!

I'm glad everything is going well with Willow & school & you were able to work out a schedule that works out for everyone. How sweet tht your dad can help out. I love having my parents close by for reasons like that.

I am very thankful for my dad - this is the first thing like this that my folks have done, and it is such a blessing for us. I can bank up the credit hours at work for leave while being available to my clients longer each day and still manage to pick up Willow quite a bit earlier.

I'm sorry I'm so late but I'm excited to read about all your plans!

Oh, no worries! There's no such thing as late on a PTR that starts almost a year before the trip!

That sounds like a crazy week! I can see the logic in getting the kids used to the new setting, but WOW! is that tough on the parents trying to figure out the logistics of all of that. We're finally getting into a groove here, but mostly because the districts here are all half day. For the first 3 weeks, the teacher sent home daily communication listing another little something that the kids should be working on from home each day (my guess is that it's in order for them to keep up with the rest of the state-which is full day- for testing purposes). So now we do kindergarten in the mornings, and mommy school in the afternoon for about 2 hours.

Yeah, it was a ridiculous week (actually week and a half). Wow - mommy school! I didn't realize that Maddie's kindy was only half day. How nice that you two get that time together though.

Yay! for you dad! That sounds like a perfect solution. What a relief that must be to you.

It is a huge relief. I am so grateful. And I am happy that Willow has that little extra time with her Poppy. My dad is getting close to 80; I know that we need to spend as much time with him (and my mom) as we can.

Love the Curious George story. She had a good point...

***

I thought so too! I was cracking up!

You know I can't wait to start talking dining/show options! I'm already sketching out our next DxDP adventure for the possible next trip.

I will try to get an "update" posted tonight or tomorrow and let you know the kinds of things that I would like to try - I think you and the others should have a lot of helpful tips and suggestions for us.

And by the way-I noticed.

Thank you! I really didn't mean to whine - I just think it is amazing how dang busy these boards are on a daily basis!

You know I noticed your absence....I'm glad you're back!

Thanks! See above to Shan.

That really is a crazy schedule. I mean.....I understand why they do it that way but it just seems like a lot. I'm glad to hear she's doing well. I wouldn't be able to handle the whole bus thing either. Reid always talks about riding the bus when he gets to big boy school. I finally just busted his bubble the other day & informed him that I would be bringing him & picking him up. That is so awesome that your dad offered to take Willow to school! What a tremendous help!

Honestly, it was just straight-out irritating. It wouldn't have been as bad had they given us more than a week or two's notice of the schedule. But they didn't. So those of us who work were just scrambling to take leave and find child care. It was crazy!

I am so grateful to my dad. So far, it is working out really well. And then a good friend of mine (Willow's BFF's mom) has also said that, if it gets so that my dad can't do it every day, she would be happy for me to drop Willow with her three mornings a week. I am so blessed and lucky to have a friend like that.

I love the story about the Curious George shirt! Hilarious! Gotta love our "Disney kids"!

Dis-centric, I call it!

 

[CandleontheWater]

Hi there! I missed your last update, but now I'm back on track. I hadn't seen your thread in my "updated" box in a while and I was worried you had somehow dropped off my subscribed list!

Congrats to Willow on a successful transition to kindergarten! How nice of your Dad to volunteer to take her to school each day, it certainly does make things easier, and you know she is in good hands.

Ok, so let me talk a little about POR. I just love that resort! I think that it is exceptionally well laid out, and really well themed. It is larger than POFQ, but the sections that the Royal rooms are in (Parterre place and Oak manner, if I remember the names correctly) are really centrally located and just a quick hop over the bridge to the main part of the resort.

The mansions are my favorite section anyway, because I really feel like I am living out my Gone with the Wind fantasies. They are so pretty to walk by, and each building has its own personality and unique touches. I think that the fountains in the courtyards are lovely too!

I also really like that POR is situated on an active waterway. I know that CBR and CSR both have lakes and some watercraft rental, but I think that the river around POR is much busy and kinetic. I love seeing the ferries and the water sprites and everything else that goes by.

The whole Marina area is very pretty, and feels like a little town in and of itself. I love the way it looks at night, with the lights reflecting off the water.

POR has a great food court. I think that is a good size for the resort, so it doesn't get as crazy crowded as some, and it has some great choices for both breakfast and lunch/dinner. We've eaten there many times, and I've always been pleased, sure beats any CS place in DHS, that is for sure!

I also really like that they have entertainment, Yee-ha Bob is fun, and his shows start early, so you can catch one with Willow. You can sit back and have a nice relaxing adult beverage, while both of you enjoy the show. It is really interactive and great for both kids and adults. It does get crowded, so I'd get there early to score a prime spot.

Ok, so now that I've gone on and on, I hope that I've given you some helpful info, if not feel free to ignore the above paragraphs.

 

[RGirl]

Hi there! I missed your last update, but now I'm back on track. I hadn't seen your thread in my "updated" box in a while and I was worried you had somehow dropped off my subscribed list!

Hi!!! To be fair, I pretty much dropped off the face of the earth! I think I have probably missed some of your updates as well. I will be checking in on your PTR tonight!

Congrats to Willow on a successful transition to kindergarten! How nice of your Dad to volunteer to take her to school each day, it certainly does make things easier, and you know she is in good hands.

Yes, I am so grateful to my dad. It has been a real saving grace for us - after the first partial week, I knew that there was no way it was going to work the way we were trying to do it. I'm glad that he offered to help, and so far, it is working really well.

Ok, so let me talk a little about POR. I just love that resort! I think that it is exceptionally well laid out, and really well themed. It is larger than POFQ, but the sections that the Royal rooms are in (Parterre place and Oak manner, if I remember the names correctly) are really centrally located and just a quick hop over the bridge to the main part of the resort.

Oh, this is so great to hear! I am having a hard time figuring it out looking at the maps available on-line, so it is good to know that we will not be a million miles from everything. What is bus service like?

The mansions are my favorite section anyway, because I really feel like I am living out my Gone with the Wind fantasies. They are so pretty to walk by, and each building has its own personality and unique touches. I think that the fountains in the courtyards are lovely too!

Oh, this really does sound right up my alley! I am getting much more excited about this choice. We have only stayed at one WDW resort, so I am really nervous about everything - I am not a resort and transportation veteran like so many on here.

I also really like that POR is situated on an active waterway. I know that CBR and CSR both have lakes and some watercraft rental, but I think that the river around POR is much busy and kinetic. I love seeing the ferries and the water sprites and everything else that goes by.

The whole Marina area is very pretty, and feels like a little town in and of itself. I love the way it looks at night, with the lights reflecting off the water.

Oh, this sounds so pleasant and peaceful. I can't wait to check this place out now!!!

POR has a great food court. I think that is a good size for the resort, so it doesn't get as crazy crowded as some, and it has some great choices for both breakfast and lunch/dinner. We've eaten there many times, and I've always been pleased, sure beats any CS place in DHS, that is for sure!

Great news! We have never stayed at a resort with a food court (or, really, any CS option), so I have definitely been looking forward to the convenience of this. And it is good to hear that the food and atmosphere is actually good!

I also really like that they have entertainment, Yee-ha Bob is fun, and his shows start early, so you can catch one with Willow. You can sit back and have a nice relaxing adult beverage, while both of you enjoy the show. It is really interactive and great for both kids and adults. It does get crowded, so I'd get there early to score a prime spot.

Now, I have read a little about Bob in a TR some time ago. It wasn't clear to me whether children were allowed because it was a TR not featuring kids. This is really great to know that we can go together and enjoy this! Maybe we will need to build in more resort time this trip!

Ok, so now that I've gone on and on, I hope that I've given you some helpful info, if not feel free to ignore the above paragraphs.

This has been incredibly helpful! Thank you SO much!!! I am genuinely excited about the resort now!!!

 

[RGirl]

Okay, so an update of sorts, I guess!

Hmm, maybe not so much an update as a request for opinions and experiences. Willow and I have never done any of the “show” meals at WDW - like the luau, HDDR, Mickey’s BBQ, others??? I know that I do not want to do the luau. But should we consider doing one of the others? This will be our third trip to WDW, and it will be our first at a busier (and MUCH hotter) time of year, so it seems like a good opportunity to try some new, less park-centric things. I would love to hear from anyone who has done any of these dining experiences. What were they like? Were they worth the cost? Did you feel like your time would have been better spent doing something else?

Second, for anyone who has cruised before, we currently have the early dining rotation. We had that on the Wonder this year, and I think it is generally a good time especially with young children. However, I think the timing of dinner is also one of the main reasons that we ended up passing on shows, and we were never able to chill out with a cheese plate and glass of wine (or juice) on the verandah in the early evening because we had to dine relatively early. Do you think it would be worth risking exhaustion for the younger member of my party and switching to late dining? I do intend to try to get us on a later schedule during our week at WDW, and remember we will be coming from the West Coast, so if we don’t adapt entirely to the time change, staying up later should be a lot easier since the West Coast is three hours behind. What do you think????

Thanks for any and all insight, advice, weighing-in, or stories you can share! ​

 

[shan23877]

I wholeheartedly agree with your choice to skip the Luau!

DH and I did the HDDR on our 'honeymoon', and we loved it. It's a loud, cheesey, funny, and fun show. However--I'm not sure how much a 5 year old girl will love it. I'm really on the fence about booking it for our next trip. It's a longish show, and the transportation to and from the Fort Wilderness area can be a pain. (though I did just read on a TR that you can ferry straight there and back). So, basically if you did it--it would be your whole evening. The food is really good if you like fried chicken, cornbread, etc. though. I think it's pretty expensive for a dinner ($70 for adults and $40 for kids). I really, really want to do it again one of these trips, the only thing that holds me back is the time it takes to get all the way out there, and the length of the show. Maddie is semi-obsessed with Hawaii and loves dancing and the Luau was simply too long for her. She was bored. The Hoop is much more lively and loud though, so maybe it would be better.

That was about as clear as mud huh?

If you decide against a show, I'd suggest Cali Grill (so long as the refurb is done) for a fancy meal/experience. The food is excellent, and Willow can watch the castle change colors as she eats. Plus, it's really easy to get to transportation wise. We LOVED it there (it'll probably take me a month to get to that review ) and Maddie did too.

 

[LittleGirlGrey]

I say switch to the later dining! My mom and I do it each cruise and we are able to see all the shows. We end up going back to our room around 10:30ish, but thats because we go to the late night bar shows.

 

[RGirl]

I wholeheartedly agree with your choice to skip the Luau!

DH and I did the HDDR on our 'honeymoon', and we loved it. It's a loud, cheesey, funny, and fun show. However--I'm not sure how much a 5 year old girl will love it. I'm really on the fence about booking it for our next trip. It's a longish show, and the transportation to and from the Fort Wilderness area can be a pain. (though I did just read on a TR that you can ferry straight there and back). So, basically if you did it--it would be your whole evening. The food is really good if you like fried chicken, cornbread, etc. though. I think it's pretty expensive for a dinner ($70 for adults and $40 for kids). I really, really want to do it again one of these trips, the only thing that holds me back is the time it takes to get all the way out there, and the length of the show. Maddie is semi-obsessed with Hawaii and loves dancing and the Luau was simply too long for her. She was bored. The Hoop is much more lively and loud though, so maybe it would be better.

That was about as clear as mud huh?

Well, I'm kind of interested in visiting the area since we have never been anywhere over there. But it does sound like a long evening. Hmmm. It also sounds very expensive. Not sure that this would be the best choice for us. I will have to continue to think about it!

If you decide against a show, I'd suggest Cali Grill (so long as the refurb is done) for a fancy meal/experience. The food is excellent, and Willow can watch the castle change colors as she eats. Plus, it's really easy to get to transportation wise. We LOVED it there (it'll probably take me a month to get to that review ) and Maddie did too.

Yes, the other thing that I am considering for this trip is our first WDW signature dining evening. Cali Grill is high on the list of contenders.

I say switch to the later dining! My mom and I do it each cruise and we are able to see all the shows. We end up going back to our room around 10:30ish, but thats because we go to the late night bar shows.

Yeah, I am really tempted. Of course, with early dining, Willow generally likes to go to the kids' club after, so I would have that time to go out by myself a little. If we went to late dining, that would be off the table. But we might end up seeing more of the shows and doing more of the late-night entertainment. It's a tough call!

 

[hstrickland]

Hi Roni!

Glad you're over the flu! I've been down for a few days myself...not exactly sure what I had. Finally feeling better today.

As far as the dinner shows go.... we've done all three. HDDR is the family favorite by far...done that one twice. Lots of slapstick comedy and good food. We liked the MBYBBQ, too. Great for younger kids like Willow. Here's another thought...and something that won't cost you a dime....the Chip n' Dale Sing a-long at FW The kids did this twice last year and had a ball!!! I believe it's done nightly at FW. You can do smores, also. If you get there early, you basically have Chip n' Dale to yourself

Here are the links to those reviews with pics of course....

HDDR

Chip n' Dale Sing-a-long

MBYBBQ


MBYBBQ part 2

Luau


Happy Planning!!!
Heather

 

[CandleontheWater]

Oooh, I love the above idea to try out the chip and dale campfire thingy (I'm drawing a blank on its proper name ). I seriously considered taking Everett there on this upcoming trip, but there are metal sticks and open flame and I'm not interested in an extra bonus tour of the celebration emergency room

I have a feeling Willow can handle sticks and open flame without incident, and I bet she would love the characters and the smores!

If you do go the paid show route, I personally enjoy HDDR. I think that it is a much more interesting show and has better food than the luau. I also think it is more kid friendly. There is more interaction, and the songs are folk standards that Willow would likely recognize, like Oh my darling Clementine. It is expensive and long though, and the food is only Ok, (but they do have unlimited wine ) so I guess its about what you want to prioritize.

Oh and you asked about the buses at POR. We've had decent luck (all except for when we went over Thanksgiving week, but that was just overall pretty crazy). The last stop is the main area (with check in and the food court), so it gets tough if you want to get on there. I'd get on at the stop by your room, and you likely won't have any trouble. The bus stops are all pretty easy to get too, and it won't be a big hike from the Royal rooms.

The good thing is that they only stop at POR, so unlike at the boardwalk, you don't have to stop at 15 other resorts on your way to the parks.