Happy Anniversary To Me...UPDATED!! JIKO!

[tinacaplan]

[SIZE="3"][FONT="Century Gothic"][COLOR="Purple"]Hello, all! As we leave in just four (oh my god!!) days, I thought it might be a good time to sit down and begin putting together my dining reviews.

I must admit that one thing I've been looking forward to since I joined the Dis was getting to write a dining report..so, here goes...I have my chance!

Who are we, you ask? DH Mark and myself, Tina
And what are you we celebrating? Our fifth anniversary. It should also be noted that we never really took a honeymoon so in my ways this is the trip of a lifetime for us.



We haven't been to Disney in so long...well, we might as well have never gone at all. I have better memories of it all than my DH, including fantastic meals at the Empress Lilly, and Chefs. I'm pretty sure my DH had mostly counter service meals when he went.

We both love food and love eating out, although with a two year old, we don't get to do it nearly as much anymore. So one of the things we're really looking forward is the dining.


Our taste: we run the gamut and have been known to enjoy fast food, as well as fine dining. Don't think much of most chain restaurants. I'm also an avid home cook and being Italian, Italian is my favorite food! We eat everything from sushi and Thai food to meat and potatoes, so you can expect a variety. Neither of us really has food that we won't eat.

Without any further ado...our list of ADR's, which has gone through numerous revisions...

ARRIVAL DAY, February 13
Dinner: 5:30, Biergarten
We should be at our resort, CSR, by noon and may decide to pick up something at the poolside bar or at Pepper Market, but we have an early ADR at Biergarten, so maybe not. I also have a feeling I'll still be feeling a little green from the flight and will want to take a nap.

After much deliberation, I decided to go with Biergarten for the entertainment value. I had a great time here as a kid, its one of the few restaraunts that offers food I actually can't get here at home, and it just seems pretty Disney to me.

Sunday, February 14, Valentine's Day
We have an early ADR for lunch at Tutto Italia. Don't ask me why, but the lunch menu appealed to me more than the dinner menu. Weird I know.
This promises to be the BEST V-Day of my life, ever. Can't think of anything that could top this one.
We have an ADR at Cali Grill during Wishes!!!!!!! At first, I didn't even realize it, until the CM who took my reservations pointed it out. But how cool is that?
Afterwards, we'll be hitting the MK for EMH that extend to 3 a.m. I full intend to be there ' till the end, too.

Monday, February 15
So, knowing how late we'll be up the night before, I made this an easy day. We'll sleep in and head out to our 11 a.m. ADR at Kona. Gotta at least try the Tonga Toast! And its a good way to check out the Poly, too.
We're heading to DHS for the evening. Its their night for EMHs. We have an 8 ADR at 50's Primetime Cafe. I almost don't care if its good or not, its a restaraunt I've wanted to check out since I saw something about it on t.v. years ago.

Tuesday, February 16
Another chill day. Neither my DH or I have any intention of being park commandoes; we need to do some serious relaxing, as its been a stressful couple of months up here in CT. Don't have plans until out 7:10 ADR at Flying Fish. Really looking forward to this as I've read consistently good reviews of this place everywhere; on the DIS and off it, too.

Wednesday, February 17
Hoping to make rope drop at the MK and we have an 11:30 ADR at the Plaza. The pictures and people's descriptions really made me want to try it. I'm a sucker for a good burger and ice cream.
Our evening ADR is a late one at Jiko, another place I'm really looking forward to.

Thursday, February 18
We're headed to AK during the day with an ADR at Tusker House to take advantage of preferential seating for the Nemo show.
In the evening, though, we're off to a late ADR at Citrico's.

Friday, February 19
Lunch ADR at Sci-Fi...looks like fun and if we don't like the food, hey, we'll be able to say we've done it and will know not to return!
Evening EMHs at Epcot with an ADR at Chef's. I know how split folks are about this place, but I had a truly amazing meal there when I was young and I just want to experience it again.

And that's that! Wow... I'm super excited about all the signature places we'll be dining at. I have high hopes for all of them and I'm thrilled there are places like that to dine at Disney.


Someday we'll get to V and A's..just not this time.

More to come, with pictures, when we're back...now I'm just trying to distract myself!

Also, if anyone out there can help me and tell me how to do a table of contents...please PM me!

[dizneeat]

Hi Tina!

Glad you started your report! I just realized that we have very similar first days! We'll be at the Wave while you are at the Cali Grill! And at Kona an hour and a half before you will be there the following day!

Hope to see you at CSR!

[disneyfav4ever]

Have a great trip!

[aceys_h0ney]

Hope you have a great trip! Count me in, can't wait to read all about it!

[tinacaplan]

Originally Posted by dizneeat

Hi Tina!

Glad you started your report! I just realized that we have very similar first days! We'll be at the Wave while you are at the Cali Grill! And at Kona an hour and a half before you will be there the following day!

Hope to see you at CSR!

Hi, Karin! Can't believe we're this close to our trip. When do you actually leave? We have a fair amount of time built into our plan to be the resort, so we should definitely see eachother. I would love to say hi to someone I've been talking to across the oceans.

Safe trip and we'll see you soon! Are you planning on going to MK after your meal at the Wave on the 14th? If so, perhaps we could say hi then!

[tinacaplan]

Originally Posted by disneyfav4ever

Have a great trip!

Originally Posted by aceys_h0ney

Hope you have a great trip! Count me in, can't wait to read all about it!

Thanks! Can't wait to eat it all, take pictures of it, and then come home and write about it.

[Linda67]

What a wonderful line up of ADRs
CG on Valentine's Day is going to be sooooo romantic
Have a lovely trip

[butiflfeet]

You have some great meals in your future! Have a great trip and take tons of pictures for us!

[prttynpnk]

I like your travel style- casual plans and good eats!

[MickeyNicki]

Hi Tina!

Count me in on your report! Happy Anniversary and have a wonderful time!

I loved my Tutto lunch so much, hope you enjoy it too!

[dizneeat]

Originally Posted by tinacaplan

Hi, Karin! Can't believe we're this close to our trip. When do you actually leave? We have a fair amount of time built into our plan to be the resort, so we should definitely see eachother. I would love to say hi to someone I've been talking to across the oceans.

Safe trip and we'll see you soon! Are you planning on going to MK after your meal at the Wave on the 14th? If so, perhaps we could say hi then!

Hi Tina! I can't believe how fast our trip is aproaching either! We leave on Saturday Feb 13 at 11am in the morning and have an hours flight to Frankfurt and after the stopover its another 9 and a half hours to Orlando. We arrive fairly late around 7, then have to go through immigration and pick up a rental car (which we know is no fun on President's day weekend) - I guess we will arrive at the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, where we'll spend the first night at around 10 - 11! I just hope we get there in time to pick up some food from DTD!
We'll have breakfast at DTD the next day, then check in at the CSR.

We are definitely going to MK after our meal at the Wave! I really hope we get to meet there! Wouldn't that be fun! When is your reservation at the California Grill? We will be at the Wave at 9pm!

[abbadabbadoo]

Hi! Hope you have a GREAT trip! We will be in the World one month after you for DD's spring break - March 13-20. We are sooo looking forward to it! Looking forward to reading your reviews! Have fun!

[tinacaplan]

Originally Posted by Linda67

What a wonderful line up of ADRs
CG on Valentine's Day is going to be sooooo romantic
Have a lovely trip

Hope so!

Originally Posted by butiflfeet

You have some great meals in your future! Have a great trip and take tons of pictures for us!

Originally Posted by prttynpnk

I like your travel style- casual plans and good eats!

Can't wait..almost there! Thanks for reading.

[tinacaplan]

Originally Posted by MickeyNicki

Hi Tina!

Count me in on your report! Happy Anniversary and have a wonderful time!

I loved my Tutto lunch so much, hope you enjoy it too!

Hi Nicky!

Hope I can live up to the pressure of knowing you'll be reading. I've read all of your reviews and I have to say that some of your opinions influenced me.

I'm sure I'll enjoy Tutto. Thanks!

[tinacaplan]

Originally Posted by dizneeat

Hi Tina! I can't believe how fast our trip is aproaching either! We leave on Saturday Feb 13 at 11am in the morning and have an hours flight to Frankfurt and after the stopover its another 9 and a half hours to Orlando. We arrive fairly late around 7, then have to go through immigration and pick up a rental car (which we know is no fun on President's day weekend) - I guess we will arrive at the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, where we'll spend the first night at around 10 - 11! I just hope we get there in time to pick up some food from DTD!
We'll have breakfast at DTD the next day, then check in at the CSR.

We are definitely going to MK after our meal at the Wave! I really hope we get to meet there! Wouldn't that be fun! When is your reservation at the California Grill? We will be at the Wave at 9pm!

Hi, Karin!

Almost time! Our reservation at Cali is for 7:35, its an early night for Wishes. I think it would be great to make a plan to meet at MK that evening, though. It was always a dream of mine when I was little to be places (like MK) late at night, with no one (or very few) people around, so we'll be there 'till late.