CathieArms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2008
Powder versus Body Glide
There is NO substitute for good old fashioned cornstarch baby powder. Body Glide is awesome for places like feet, but if you occasionally use baby powder to prevent chafing, then you will DEFINITELY NOT want to leave it home. Bring both and decide which you prefer, but I found that I used them both for different purposes. Body Glide was great for places that might blister, but I liked the cornstarch baby powder for places that would sweat more than most.
Deluxe Dining Plan
If you do the DxDDP and choose to do very few 2TS meals, then this is wayyyyyy too much food! I would not do the DxDDP again UNLESS I were to have a 2TS meal every evening. I would not use it for 3 meals/day, even if one of them was a counter service. So, in the future, I would only use the DxDDP for, say, a 1TS Breakfast and a 2TS dinner, and maybe use a snack for lunch in between. We were so stuffed that we used virtually none of our snack credits and were trying to find a way to use them up at the end of our trip. With 7 people at 2 snacks/day for 10 days, we had almost 90 snack credits to use up on the day we went home. Furthermore, there was just so much food that there were a couple of times a few of us opted out of a meal, leaving us a full 8 meal credits left over that we could *NOT* get converted to snack credits, regardless of who we talked to or how hard we tried.
Diaper Rash Cream
I packed this for my 6 year old because he occasionally has some weird chafing. OH MY GOSH! I don't want to be graphic, but I'm soooooooo glad I packed this...FOR ME! I will just say that the combination of heat and rich foods caused digestive issues which caused issues that made good use of the Diaper Rash Cream. Pack it just in case! It was a lifesaver!
Pooh-Sized People
Stop worrying! I'm more Pooh-sized than most and I had ZERO problems on this trip with ANYTHING. I hated Dinosaur because the seats were weirdly uncomfortable, though I did fit; and - as many have suggested - Kali River Rapids was a snug fit and you would NOT want to put a Pooh-sized person next to another adult on this ride. BUT, it was not a problem. Just a snug fit. Everything else was completely doable with no problems. And I rode EVERYTHING...Kali, Dinosaur, Rock 'n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Soarin', Test Track, Mission: Space...you name it and I rode it with NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. If anyone is specifically concerned about this, please PM me and I can give you more details.
SHOES
Your best and most comfortable shoes are NOT enough!!!! You need to bring *at least* 2 pairs of shoes, and I think I'd go so far as to suggest at least 3! My New Balance shoes that I absolutely LOVE were KILLING ME after the 2nd day. Even resting my feet on the ground hurt! I finally bought a pair of Crocs in the park to switch into, and suddenly I could walk again!!!! Do not underestimate the importance of good shoes and DIFFERENT shoes!
Character Meals
Yes - there is such a thing as having too many character meals. I never would've thought it was possible, but it was. We were there 10 days and had a character meal almost every day. I got really sick of them after about the 6th day. My recommendations for character meals would be: Akershus (over Cinderella's Royal Table by a far margin), Cape May, Hollywood and Vine (TOTALLY surprised me!!!! I would definitely do this one again for the character interaction), and 1900 Park Fare for dinner (Breakfast was good, too, but I had more fun at dinner). Crystal Palace was fun but I'm not into Pooh. But the buffet itself was the best we had on-site. 'Ohana for breakfast was nice because we didn't have to get up, but I'm not into Lilo and Stitch and the breakfast was so-so.
Summer Park Attack
My absolute best advice for attacking the parks in the summer: Go at park opening, do as much as you want during the first few hours of the morning, and then leave by noon. Go back to the resort to rest (NAP!), have an early dinner and then return for the evening hours. The parks are wayyyyyy too hot and crowded in June starting around 11:30 or 12:00. But, if you get there early, you can walk on most rides within the first couple of hours. When we went to Animal Kingdom the first time, we went from 6-8 pm and walked on Expedition Everest 6 times in a row with no wait at all.
To Drive or Take Disney Transportation?
We did both. Disney transportation worked quite well for going to the park; however, we found it MUCH faster to drive to other resorts and Downtown Disney. Parking was very easy and took way less time! I wasn't excited about moving the car the first time, but - after the first time - it was a breeze!
Leftover Meal Credits and Conversion to Snack Credits
We were completely unable to accomplish this. BC Concierge was unhelpful and so were the various places where credits could be used. I'd love to know how those who have converted accomplished it! As it was, we wasted 8 meal credits.
Restaurants I'd Skip Next Time
La Hacienda de San Angel - We waited a full hour past our ADR time to be seated, and then the service was just so-so. I don't think they ever gave us refills, either. The family next to us we met while waiting for a table. They had been seated and then waited 20 minutes for someone to take their drink order. They were a family of 5 seated at a 4-person table. They finally asked to talk to a manager who said he'd reseat them with a different waiter, so they requested to be seated at a table that would accommodate 5 as requested on their ADR. Eventually we were seated next to each other and talked throughout our dinners. REALLY nice family. The only plus to this restaurant was that we were seated so late that Epcot's fireworks began as we were eating our meal and we were seated close to the window. The food was okay - very good, but it's hard to rate it since we'd eaten so much all week and were sick of eating.
Cinderella's Royal Table - I will never do this restaurant again. We waited to be seated about 40 minutes, which we had expected. BUT, the service and the food was NOT worth the wait OR the 2TS cost. The food was served at room temperature and the waitress never gave us refills. Furthermore, she was MIA almost the entire meal so what could've been a 60-90 minute meal lasted well over 2 hours.
Thoughts on other Restaurants
Teppan Edo - We've been there three times and I *still* don't enjoy it. BORING. In March, we ate at a similar restaurant in our town and I LOVED it, but I still think Teppan Edo is a big bore.
Akershus - We've eaten there twice and I still enjoyed it. Would definitely do it again and most definitely instead of Cinderella's Castle.
Chef Mickey - Meh. I could take it or leave it. Big restaurant and loud. Food was same as at any other breakfast buffet and the characters were, too. Not one I'd do again when I can get the characters somewhere else.
Whispering Canyon - really enjoyed this restaurant. The 15 year old girls AND the 6 year old boy all had a blast. DH drank himself sick on bottomless milkshakes, and it was a generally fun experience for all.
Cape May - I've done this restaurant twice and still enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Would definitely choose this over Chef Mickey.
Les Chefs - great service and good food. LOVED seeing Remy. Would definitely do it again.
HDDR - Fun experience. Not something I need to do every time I go, but I'm glad we did it. LOVED our waiter and the entertainment was fun.
Hollywood and Vine (Breakfast) - DO NOT be talked out of this restaurant based upon the reviews. The food was fine and the character interaction was not only the best we had all week, but even my teenagers enjoyed it. This is one we'd definitely do again.
Mama Melrose - Meh. Nothing good or bad to report. It just "was."
Le Cellier - Hmmm...don't know what to tell you. YES...the steak was AWESOME and it was worth going there for that alone. But I would NOT pay 2TS for it. And, the service was so-so.
Captain's Grille (Breakfast) - this was a nice last-minute decision. It was quiet and quick. Good breakfast, but pretty much the same breakfast buffet as everywhere else on site.
50s Prime Time - I've been there 3 times, and this was the first time we truly enjoyed it. We *finally* got a fun waiter. It's a great restaurant if you get a fun waiter. If not, it's not worth the time in my opinion.
Boma - DO NOT do this restaurant unless you have adventurous eaters. I was really peeved that EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN OUR PARTY refused to try the African entrees. The ate the fried chicken, mac and cheese and potatoes. HUGE-HUGE-HUGE waste of my time to travel there for THAT! I did try the African entrees and it just wasn't my thing, but I can say that I at least tried it. Not bad at all, just not my thing.
1900 Park Fare (Breakfast) - Fun, but character meals were getting old by this time.
Planet Hollywood - good, but there are better places to go.
Raglan Road - Loved the entertainment, but not so much the food.
Wolfgang Puck Cafe - Honestly, I'd like to know what all the hype is??? I ordered the pizza and it was AWFUL. BLECH! And I really LOVE wood-fired pizza!
That's all I can think about right now. I'm open to questions if anyone wants to know anything specific.
There is NO substitute for good old fashioned cornstarch baby powder. Body Glide is awesome for places like feet, but if you occasionally use baby powder to prevent chafing, then you will DEFINITELY NOT want to leave it home. Bring both and decide which you prefer, but I found that I used them both for different purposes. Body Glide was great for places that might blister, but I liked the cornstarch baby powder for places that would sweat more than most.
Deluxe Dining Plan
If you do the DxDDP and choose to do very few 2TS meals, then this is wayyyyyy too much food! I would not do the DxDDP again UNLESS I were to have a 2TS meal every evening. I would not use it for 3 meals/day, even if one of them was a counter service. So, in the future, I would only use the DxDDP for, say, a 1TS Breakfast and a 2TS dinner, and maybe use a snack for lunch in between. We were so stuffed that we used virtually none of our snack credits and were trying to find a way to use them up at the end of our trip. With 7 people at 2 snacks/day for 10 days, we had almost 90 snack credits to use up on the day we went home. Furthermore, there was just so much food that there were a couple of times a few of us opted out of a meal, leaving us a full 8 meal credits left over that we could *NOT* get converted to snack credits, regardless of who we talked to or how hard we tried.
Diaper Rash Cream
I packed this for my 6 year old because he occasionally has some weird chafing. OH MY GOSH! I don't want to be graphic, but I'm soooooooo glad I packed this...FOR ME! I will just say that the combination of heat and rich foods caused digestive issues which caused issues that made good use of the Diaper Rash Cream. Pack it just in case! It was a lifesaver!
Pooh-Sized People
Stop worrying! I'm more Pooh-sized than most and I had ZERO problems on this trip with ANYTHING. I hated Dinosaur because the seats were weirdly uncomfortable, though I did fit; and - as many have suggested - Kali River Rapids was a snug fit and you would NOT want to put a Pooh-sized person next to another adult on this ride. BUT, it was not a problem. Just a snug fit. Everything else was completely doable with no problems. And I rode EVERYTHING...Kali, Dinosaur, Rock 'n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Soarin', Test Track, Mission: Space...you name it and I rode it with NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. If anyone is specifically concerned about this, please PM me and I can give you more details.
SHOES
Your best and most comfortable shoes are NOT enough!!!! You need to bring *at least* 2 pairs of shoes, and I think I'd go so far as to suggest at least 3! My New Balance shoes that I absolutely LOVE were KILLING ME after the 2nd day. Even resting my feet on the ground hurt! I finally bought a pair of Crocs in the park to switch into, and suddenly I could walk again!!!! Do not underestimate the importance of good shoes and DIFFERENT shoes!
Character Meals
Yes - there is such a thing as having too many character meals. I never would've thought it was possible, but it was. We were there 10 days and had a character meal almost every day. I got really sick of them after about the 6th day. My recommendations for character meals would be: Akershus (over Cinderella's Royal Table by a far margin), Cape May, Hollywood and Vine (TOTALLY surprised me!!!! I would definitely do this one again for the character interaction), and 1900 Park Fare for dinner (Breakfast was good, too, but I had more fun at dinner). Crystal Palace was fun but I'm not into Pooh. But the buffet itself was the best we had on-site. 'Ohana for breakfast was nice because we didn't have to get up, but I'm not into Lilo and Stitch and the breakfast was so-so.
Summer Park Attack
My absolute best advice for attacking the parks in the summer: Go at park opening, do as much as you want during the first few hours of the morning, and then leave by noon. Go back to the resort to rest (NAP!), have an early dinner and then return for the evening hours. The parks are wayyyyyy too hot and crowded in June starting around 11:30 or 12:00. But, if you get there early, you can walk on most rides within the first couple of hours. When we went to Animal Kingdom the first time, we went from 6-8 pm and walked on Expedition Everest 6 times in a row with no wait at all.
To Drive or Take Disney Transportation?
We did both. Disney transportation worked quite well for going to the park; however, we found it MUCH faster to drive to other resorts and Downtown Disney. Parking was very easy and took way less time! I wasn't excited about moving the car the first time, but - after the first time - it was a breeze!
Leftover Meal Credits and Conversion to Snack Credits
We were completely unable to accomplish this. BC Concierge was unhelpful and so were the various places where credits could be used. I'd love to know how those who have converted accomplished it! As it was, we wasted 8 meal credits.
Restaurants I'd Skip Next Time
La Hacienda de San Angel - We waited a full hour past our ADR time to be seated, and then the service was just so-so. I don't think they ever gave us refills, either. The family next to us we met while waiting for a table. They had been seated and then waited 20 minutes for someone to take their drink order. They were a family of 5 seated at a 4-person table. They finally asked to talk to a manager who said he'd reseat them with a different waiter, so they requested to be seated at a table that would accommodate 5 as requested on their ADR. Eventually we were seated next to each other and talked throughout our dinners. REALLY nice family. The only plus to this restaurant was that we were seated so late that Epcot's fireworks began as we were eating our meal and we were seated close to the window. The food was okay - very good, but it's hard to rate it since we'd eaten so much all week and were sick of eating.
Cinderella's Royal Table - I will never do this restaurant again. We waited to be seated about 40 minutes, which we had expected. BUT, the service and the food was NOT worth the wait OR the 2TS cost. The food was served at room temperature and the waitress never gave us refills. Furthermore, she was MIA almost the entire meal so what could've been a 60-90 minute meal lasted well over 2 hours.
Thoughts on other Restaurants
Teppan Edo - We've been there three times and I *still* don't enjoy it. BORING. In March, we ate at a similar restaurant in our town and I LOVED it, but I still think Teppan Edo is a big bore.
Akershus - We've eaten there twice and I still enjoyed it. Would definitely do it again and most definitely instead of Cinderella's Castle.
Chef Mickey - Meh. I could take it or leave it. Big restaurant and loud. Food was same as at any other breakfast buffet and the characters were, too. Not one I'd do again when I can get the characters somewhere else.
Whispering Canyon - really enjoyed this restaurant. The 15 year old girls AND the 6 year old boy all had a blast. DH drank himself sick on bottomless milkshakes, and it was a generally fun experience for all.
Cape May - I've done this restaurant twice and still enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Would definitely choose this over Chef Mickey.
Les Chefs - great service and good food. LOVED seeing Remy. Would definitely do it again.
HDDR - Fun experience. Not something I need to do every time I go, but I'm glad we did it. LOVED our waiter and the entertainment was fun.
Hollywood and Vine (Breakfast) - DO NOT be talked out of this restaurant based upon the reviews. The food was fine and the character interaction was not only the best we had all week, but even my teenagers enjoyed it. This is one we'd definitely do again.
Mama Melrose - Meh. Nothing good or bad to report. It just "was."
Le Cellier - Hmmm...don't know what to tell you. YES...the steak was AWESOME and it was worth going there for that alone. But I would NOT pay 2TS for it. And, the service was so-so.
Captain's Grille (Breakfast) - this was a nice last-minute decision. It was quiet and quick. Good breakfast, but pretty much the same breakfast buffet as everywhere else on site.
50s Prime Time - I've been there 3 times, and this was the first time we truly enjoyed it. We *finally* got a fun waiter. It's a great restaurant if you get a fun waiter. If not, it's not worth the time in my opinion.
Boma - DO NOT do this restaurant unless you have adventurous eaters. I was really peeved that EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN OUR PARTY refused to try the African entrees. The ate the fried chicken, mac and cheese and potatoes. HUGE-HUGE-HUGE waste of my time to travel there for THAT! I did try the African entrees and it just wasn't my thing, but I can say that I at least tried it. Not bad at all, just not my thing.
1900 Park Fare (Breakfast) - Fun, but character meals were getting old by this time.
Planet Hollywood - good, but there are better places to go.
Raglan Road - Loved the entertainment, but not so much the food.
Wolfgang Puck Cafe - Honestly, I'd like to know what all the hype is??? I ordered the pizza and it was AWFUL. BLECH! And I really LOVE wood-fired pizza!
That's all I can think about right now. I'm open to questions if anyone wants to know anything specific.
Thank you!
I feel like I'm worrying so much about not fitting into rides that it's overpowering the excitement of going! I'm going to just go with the flow now, thanks to your helpful postings!!
our first in WDW and We Can't Wait!!
