Newbie Needs Help Planning Fantastic Surprise Trip!

[Mayasmama]

Hello Fellow DISers,

I am planning a Mother/Daughter trip to WDW in June (10 days) as a surprise birthday gift for my daughter, who will be turning eight. I last visited WDW nearly 20 years ago and didn't do much planning, didn't stay onsite, etc. (no point of reference from that trip).

I have been lurking for a while now and have placed the deposit and purchased airline tickets. YEAH!

I have sooooo many questions and hope the veterans can help me. So here goes...

1. We will be on the DDP and I am looking to make ADRs. We both love great food. Is there a time that is better for dinner reservations?
Under consideration: Chef Mickey's, Brown Derby, Akershus, Chefs de France, Coral Reef, Cinderella's Round Table, Maya Grill (note name), Teppan Edo (DD loves style), Crystal Palace, California Grill, O'Hana.

2. An suggestions for which days to visit what parks (Park Hopper and Water Parks tickets). Is it worth it to take advantage of morning EMH or is it just an extra hour of lines, so to speak?

3. We are staying at the POFQ. Which buildings were formerly smoking buildings (we both have asthma)?

This is the short list...I'm sure there will be more.

Other ideas/experiences anyone would like to share are certainly appreciated.

Thanks in advance fellow DISers.

 

[mysticks1]

We always go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast, usually on our last day as sort of a last hurrah and goodbye to our favorite characters. I wouldn't miss dining there on a first trip for your daughter. Plan going there for breakfast and then ride the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. If your daughter likes Pooh and Eeyore you should try Crystal Palace. The character interaction at both restaurants is really great!

Be sure to take photos with all of the photopass photographers in all of the parks. You can take as many as you like. You can pre-purchase a CD from their website at a discounted rate ($99 instead of $125) which will have all of your photos on it with releases so you can print them yourself.

 

[Anne's Family]

1. We will be on the DDP and I am looking to make ADRs. We both love great food. Is there a time that is better for dinner reservations?
Under consideration: Chef Mickey's, Brown Derby, Akershus, Chefs de France, Coral Reef, Cinderella's Round Table, Maya Grill (note name), Teppan Edo (DD loves style), Crystal Palace, California Grill, O'Hana.

My best advice is to eat at off hours (early lunch, early dinner, etc.) Prime eating times will be busy. Chef Mickey's was fabulous and it's a great first meal to do on arrival day or on the day you leave, especially if you don't do a park that day. Cinderella's is historically difficult to get into, but it can be done.

2. An suggestions for which days to visit what parks (Park Hopper and Water Parks tickets). Is it worth it to take advantage of morning EMH or is it just an extra hour of lines, so to speak?

Morning EMH is good if you do the hour and park hop to another park. I always suggest TourGuideMike for people to decide which parks to visit on which day. It costs money (you can get a DIS discount) but I have found that it is so worth it, especially if you haven't been there in a long time. His park choices are right on the money. He pretty much avoids EMH parks though, but you won't miss that extra time because you'll get everything you want done by following his advice. The Unofficial Guide also has had great reviews.

3. We are staying at the POFQ. Which buildings were formerly smoking buildings (we both have asthma)?

This one I'm not sure about. I would ask around on the resort forum. Someone will know. I absolutely LOVED POFQ. My kids loved it too, they were 7 and 9 at the time. The pool is really fun and I liked the food court as well.

Keep asking those questions! There is so much experience on these boards, you'll pretty much find anything you need to know. If you don't mind reading a lot, TourGuideMike is great. I'm a planaholic myself and I read every word.

Have a wonderful time planning!

 

[Mayasmama]

Hello,

I knew I could count of my fellow DISers. Thank you so much for all the wonderful suggestions and ideas. Keep 'Em Coming!

 

[KitKate]

I am also planning a 10 day surprise trip for my DD8. It is going to be so hard not to tell her until the surprise time as she talks about wanting to go back but this way will work best for us for this trip. I am a member of Tourguidemike and I find it very helpful for which parks to visit on which days and it does work.

 

[wilde_oscar]

Morning EMH is good, IFF you get there at rope drop... you can knock out a lot to see and do very quick.

I suggest a character breakfast every morning... it is a great way to start the day. Best to pay cash for breakfast and use DDP for lunch and dinner.

Keep in mind some of the restaurants you have listed are two DDP dinner points.

A guide book or two comes in handy... Unofficial Guide is popular. You might wanna google "touring plans" for a site other then tour guide mike for crowd calendar predictions.

Timeing of dinner is important when it comes to the night time spectaculars. I suggest a spread sheet that takes into account EMH, crowd calendar, etc. it is a good way to keep track of reservations.

Since you are there for 10 days... you can do two parks a day where you take one day in a park for shows, and one day in a park for rides.

I cannot stress enough hitting the parks first thing at open, you can get a lot done in those couple hours.

 

[disnut8]

One relatively inexpensive and fun thing the two of you can do together is collect pressed pennies. Cost is 51 cents (two quarters and the penny to be squished). You can even have fun with this before you leave. Tell your daughter that you would like to start collecting pennies to put aside for Christmas (since the trip is a surprise). Then she can help you get the pennies for your trip without even knowing it. You can put quarters away like this too or just get rolls from the bank before you leave.

There are lists of the penny machines but it might be more fun to just hunt them out on your own. Disney sells collector books to store the pennies in too.

 

[labattblue]

3. We are staying at the POFQ. Which buildings were formerly smoking buildings (we both have asthma)?

I am pretty sure Bldg. 5 was always non-smoking. It was for sure back in the late '90's.