Our 2nd Anniversary Disneymoon - Aug. 30 to Sept. 6! *We're home! 9/7*

[stacikristine]

I think it's interesting that no one is trying to convince me about AKL. Any takers??

DH and I are staying at AKV in September and are renting DVC points. Our Villa is only going to cost $560 for 6 nights!!! That's less than POP. The more I look at all of the AKL pictures, the more excited I am. And by staying in a value Studio Villa, we automatically have either a pool or savannah view. Can't beat it. I don't know if there's still availability, but it's worth looking into! I can help answer point renting qs if you have them. Oh--and you can get DME and DP by renting still.

But I would HIGHLY suggest you at least looking into it. I can't tell who we're renting from, but he's been great!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

I'll definitely look into it.

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

Ooh, a spa day at Saratoga Springs sounds very nice!! We're also considering doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour. I think you're making the right decision by saving the extra money to do all the extra fun stuff!

I would look into renting DVC points like PP just mentioned. I've always wanted to do that, but we always wind up staying at POP instead. Check out the DVC Rent/Trade board . I used to lurk over there a lot. Renting seems like a great way to stay deluxe, but not have to pay the price tag.

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Ooh, a spa day at Saratoga Springs sounds very nice!! We're also considering doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour. I think you're making the right decision by saving the extra money to do all the extra fun stuff!

I would look into renting DVC points like PP just mentioned. I've always wanted to do that, but we always wind up staying at POP instead. Check out the DVC Rent/Trade board . I used to lurk over there a lot. Renting seems like a great way to stay deluxe, but not have to pay the price tag.

I am trying to decide if it is worth it to have another thing to figure out It also depends on if we decide we want AKL or not. I mean, the price may be worth it if we can get a deal like Staci's, but who knows.

 

[trinaweena]

My boyfriend's Aunt works for Disney so he's done the Keys to the Kingdom tour a few times...I've never done it, can't say I have much desire.

I'm thinking about places to suggest for dining and I have a few in mind! I have to run to a Dr's app right now, but I'll be back tonight with some suggestions...what are you guys looking for in terms of atmosphere of a place?

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

DH and I are the kind of nerd that would appreciate the Keys to the Kingdom type stuff, especially after hearing about the Utilidors on the History Channel thing on WDW. :lol:

Thanks for offering to help with the suggestions for ADRs!!

First, these will most likely be dinner ADRs, unless there is some amazingly fantastic place for breakfast or lunch...keeping in mind that we CAN'T eat the food so it has to be atmosphere/theming/characters/view. Most of the Japanese places can't accomodate us, which is fine. I have only been to one table service place, I think it was in the area by the Boardwalk in Epcot? It was 10 years ago and my parents made the reservation, so I have no idea.

We need a nice one for Thursday night for our actual anniversary.
At least one character one, maybe two (Princesses & Mickey). I would love Akershus for the princesses, but I can't tell if they have a character dinner or not. And then a Mickey one (maybe Chef Mickey's?)

We generally like things that are a little bit quieter, but library-like silence is not required (or desireable!). My DH doesn't hear well in very loud spaces due to some hearing loss when he was little, so that's always something to keep in mind.

Hopefully that's helpful! Thanks!

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

Are you talking about the Modern Marvel special on the History Channel? Oh my gosh, I LOVED that!! Learning all about the utilidors was really exciting to me.

You guys should do California Grill at the Contemporary for your anniversary. I haven't been, but have heard nothing but great things! Too, if you hit it just right you can watch Wishes there!!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

The Modern Marvel thing was AWESOME! Some of the stuff I already knew, but I didn't know about the development of all the parks.

California Grill is on our list!! I would love to be able to see wishes...the only thing is I think it's two DDP credits...we'll have to figure that one out...but it would be awesome. I also would love to see Phantasmic through one of the packages, maybe the Mama Melrose one or something.

Choices, choices!

 

[trinaweena]

Ok I have my guide out in front of me and im looking at all the places that I want to eat sometime in my lifetime haha and here are some of my suggestions:

For your anniversary dinner:
California Grill especially during wishes if you can get it. This was my first choice for my boyfriend and I's anniversary dinner but he didn't want to go somewhere so fancy

We we're also looking at Artists Point and le Celliar Steakhouse which ive heard is very loud and not really too romantic but it's what we choose because i really wanted to try it and he likes it We also were looking at Citricos. Jiko is another one that we looked into because of the atmosphere but he didn't like the looks of the food.

As far as other places I would just suggest for looking into for some ADRs are Kona Cafe, Ohana i've heard is really good for breakfast, and i've heard good things about Spoodles as well. I also plan on trying Yak and Yeti in march so I'll let you know how those are

For fantasmic, I think your best choice is mama melrose....it ain't the best but it's better than Hollywood and Vine I've never eaten at the Studios so I don't really now.

Characters... My favorites are Chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace but i would also look into akershus for princess dining. But i LOVE chef mickeys

I hope that helps you, im a bit sleepy so it might not lol but just ask me if you have any questions

 

[stacikristine]

I am trying to decide if it is worth it to have another thing to figure out It also depends on if we decide we want AKL or not. I mean, the price may be worth it if we can get a deal like Staci's, but who knows.

I understand if you don't want the headache, but check out these point charts (it's not just AKL...it's ALL DVC Villas) http://www.dvcbyresale.com/chart.php/Animal Kingdom
Just click on the different resorts at the top of the page. Then you go to the rent/trade board and write what you want (I'd recommend reading the intro threads--very helpful) You can also look at what others are offering. Some go as low as $7 pp. The most you'll probably pay is $12 pp. They can get you the DDP and DME too. You just have to do everything through the owner.

 

[bettyann29]

Good evening Jess.. Just checking back in..

Me and DH are talking about Keys to the Kingdom also.. We just started doing some of the tours on the last few trips and have been trying to decide which one for this upcoming trip and I think its KTTK.. It looks interesting!

On the last trip we did the Segway tour in Epcot and that was alot of fun, but I ended up crashing and had small injuries

Cant wait to hear more of your plans..

 

[DWFan4Life]

Wow, this is interesting. How I wish that we could also go as early as anyone here. May all of you have a great time, fun and enjoy.

Have a nice day everyone.

 

[creativeamanda]

Hey, Jess! Followed you over here from my PTR! We're gonna get your husband either loving WDW or hating it, lol.

But ket me in on a secret (my dh likes Cars, too). Just don't tell him I told you.

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Ok I have my guide out in front of me and im looking at all the places that I want to eat sometime in my lifetime haha and here are some of my suggestions:

For your anniversary dinner:
California Grill especially during wishes if you can get it. This was my first choice for my boyfriend and I's anniversary dinner but he didn't want to go somewhere so fancy

We we're also looking at Artists Point and le Celliar Steakhouse which ive heard is very loud and not really too romantic but it's what we choose because i really wanted to try it and he likes it We also were looking at Citricos. Jiko is another one that we looked into because of the atmosphere but he didn't like the looks of the food.

As far as other places I would just suggest for looking into for some ADRs are Kona Cafe, Ohana i've heard is really good for breakfast, and i've heard good things about Spoodles as well. I also plan on trying Yak and Yeti in march so I'll let you know how those are

For fantasmic, I think your best choice is mama melrose....it ain't the best but it's better than Hollywood and Vine I've never eaten at the Studios so I don't really now.

Characters... My favorites are Chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace but i would also look into akershus for princess dining. But i LOVE chef mickeys

I hope that helps you, im a bit sleepy so it might not lol but just ask me if you have any questions

Thank you for the suggestions...I think you and I have pretty similar ideas about dining. I think I might use that list as a starting point, actually :

I understand if you don't want the headache, but check out these point charts (it's not just AKL...it's ALL DVC Villas) http://www.dvcbyresale.com/chart.php/Animal Kingdom
Just click on the different resorts at the top of the page. Then you go to the rent/trade board and write what you want (I'd recommend reading the intro threads--very helpful) You can also look at what others are offering. Some go as low as $7 pp. The most you'll probably pay is $12 pp. They can get you the DDP and DME too. You just have to do everything through the owner.

We're still thinking about it, but I think we might just end up either at POR or at the hotel part of AKL. I'm not sure yet totally though!

Good evening Jess.. Just checking back in..

Me and DH are talking about Keys to the Kingdom also.. We just started doing some of the tours on the last few trips and have been trying to decide which one for this upcoming trip and I think its KTTK.. It looks interesting!

On the last trip we did the Segway tour in Epcot and that was alot of fun, but I ended up crashing and had small injuries

Cant wait to hear more of your plans..

I think DH would be crashing the Segway, but the Keys to the Kingdom tour sounds even more awesome now that I have read about it in the Unofficial Guide...I need to get DH to read it, so that we have something to compare notes on.

Wow, this is interesting. How I wish that we could also go as early as anyone here. May all of you have a great time, fun and enjoy.

Have a nice day everyone.

Hey, Jess! Followed you over here from my PTR! We're gonna get your husband either loving WDW or hating it, lol.

But ket me in on a secret (my dh likes Cars, too). Just don't tell him I told you.

I won't tell anyone your DH's secret! I also wonder if they'll have WALL-E around at all...that would be fun


So, our major excitement for this weekend? My Disney planning DVD arrived yesterday!! We watched it last night and DH enjoyed it and felt like he found out more about Disney, but it was not at all in depth, especially about the resorts. I think it was actually the resort bit that totally didn't help us out at all, which was sort of lame.

Aside from that, it's definitely getting more real.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekends!

 

[bettyann29]

I love watching those planning DVDs.. I was cleaning over the weekend and found one just recently that I must have recvd.. Im going to sit down next week when Im home and watch it.. cant wait..

It always makes everything so much more real..

Cant wait to hear more.. Im addicted!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Sorry I have been a little bit away, ladies and gents.

A little busy here, plus not too much going on planning wise at the moment. There was also a tragedy in one of the families that is in our synagogue, so I felt I needed a little Disney.

First, we have definitely decided on POR. I spent some time looking at videos and pictures of the resort, and I think it's a great one. I think although Animal Kingdom Lodge is cool, I think part of the reason I wanted to stay there would be to have part of South Africa with me, and I bet that would make me more homesick than anything, and if I'm going to do that, I might as well go for the real thing, at some point in the future. So that's where it stands.

At this point, I am planning on calling on my next weekday off to make the reservation, which will either be tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on when this funeral I have to go to is (part of the tragedy mentioned earlier).

Aside from that, not too much real planning. We talked about the need to have figured out our ADRs by June 1, and so we're starting to talk about that a little bit. It's still a little difficult because the park hours don't come out until right before, so there's no way to be like we want x on y day, but I think we can try to plan something like we want to go to x when we're in y park, and that might be a good plan. I also need to get DH to read the descriptions of some of the rides and decide what are his "must dos". That can happen a little later but might be useful for planning what days we want to do what since we should have about 5 full days and 2 half days in the park (depending on when our flights come in/leave) so we'll see how that goes.

Of course, we also just found out that a friend of ours is due to have her baby while we are away on our trip. We figure that meeting him/her a few days afterwards won't matter too much, especially if we bring them back a baby gift from Disney

 

[HeatherBelle614]

I'm sorry to hear you've had a tough time lately.

I was too young to remember POR when we stayed there, but we did POFQ on our honeymoon and adored it! Our bus went through POR a couple times and it looked gorgeous! You should put a request in for a room in one of the mansions! They looked so pretty!

Oh oh oh! You should bring back a pair of baby Mickey (or Minnie) ears with the newborn's name embroidered on the back! That's how I want to tell my parents we're pregnant whenever we have kids - have Mickey ears with grandma and grandpa embroidered on the back! I think the ears are such a great and unique gift for anyone!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

I really want to stay in the mansions! I think they are beautiful! And although I have heard good things about Aligator Bayou, I just think the Mansions serve as a better idea for a honeymoon.

I am definitely tihinking about the baby minnie/mickey ears. I don't know if we'll know the name soon enough to get it put on, but I bet the ears would be precious enough anyway!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Oh! So something else I have been thinking about is doing t-shirts. I'm trying to figure out what would be okay for two twenty-somethings on honeymoon to wear, since a lot of the designs are pretty kiddie, but I bet we could figure something else.

I definitely want to do Mousekeeping envelopes as well. So that's exciting too. Maybe I will post some of the ones that I like from the various DISigners. I should probably talk to my DH about how he feels about that kind of t-shirt as well...

 

[Beka]

Oh! So something else I have been thinking about is doing t-shirts. I'm trying to figure out what would be okay for two twenty-somethings on honeymoon to wear, since a lot of the designs are pretty kiddie, but I bet we could figure something else.

I definitely want to do Mousekeeping envelopes as well. So that's exciting too. Maybe I will post some of the ones that I like from the various DISigners. I should probably talk to my DH about how he feels about that kind of t-shirt as well...

Do you have a Disney store nearby? They have shirts 2/$20 right now, adult sizes, and there's one that I love that's gray, with Walt & a couple different kinds of Mickeys on it. It's a men's shirt. I wear a M or L (depends on how it's cut) and I think a men's S would fit ok. Or, they have a white tee with a classic Mickey in both men's & women's sizes.

I agree with you, there are too many "kiddie" type designs out there.

Where is the DISign thread? Or forum, whatever. I can't find it!