A College Graduation Celebration w/my Mom! (Update! I leave tomorrow! Pg. 14 #208)

[AlohaPolynesian]

Hi everyone! I’m back and ready to start a new pre-trip report about my December vacation to Walt Disney World. If you read last time, you know that I went down with my friend Belle during our college spring break. Usually I go in March for baseball Spring Training, but this upcoming trip will be the exception. As a graduation present, my mom is taking me to WDW!!

My mom was VERY hesitant about taking me and she will flat out say that she DOES NOT LIKE DISNEY WORLD! I know, right?! So it is my goal to pick places and plan activities to show her that she can, should and WILL like Disney by the time we leave!

The Details:

Who: Me - 22 years old, Mom - 55 years old.

What: A trip to Walt Disney World to CELEBRATE my graduation from college!

Where: Disney's Boardwalk Inn!

When: December 10-13th, 2009!​

Thanks for reading and I can’t wait to share my plans with you!

Update #1: Possible ADR's
Update #2: Final Dining Choices?
Update #3: ADR's are booked!
Update #4: New itinerary and ADR's...I'm crazy!
Update #5: Day 1 Itinerary!
Update #6: Day 2 Itinerary!
Update #7: Schedule Change!

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

So my mom called me tonight and said the calendar came out for my brother's school and she picked the dates we could go (Dec. 10-13)! I'm so excited to start thinking about where I want to eat! Anyways...We decided to stay at.....























THE BOARDWALK!!

 

[annnewjerz]

Hi

I'm in. We'll be there December 12-18 staying at the Boardwalk Villas. I'm bringing DM along also, for our "adults" trip to WDW.

Looking forward to hearing more!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

My mom feels the same way as your mom does...I'm hoping you can give her the Disney magic we both love. Happy planning. I just booked our Dec trip (Dec 5-11) but my husband does not know yet b/c he too is not a Disney fan. Trying to find the right time but I had to b/c the free dinning in December is too good to turn down and I upgraded us to Deluxe. He knows I wanted to go in December and asked me to work the numbers. Can't wait to read more of your planning. Are you planning to attend MVMCP and CP?

 

[Silver Queen]

Good luck with your planning! We love going to The World as adults (our children are grown). Since you are staying at Boardwalk you might enjoy having dinner at Kouzzina We have a reservation there for our October trip. On our trip last week we ate at Flying Fish for the first time and loved it. Your mother may also enjoy Jiko or Sanaa. WE had a window table for our dinner at Sanaa and loved watching the giraffes on the savannah.
Have fun!!

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

Hi

I'm in. We'll be there December 12-18 staying at the Boardwalk Villas. I'm bringing DM along also, for our "adults" trip to WDW.

Looking forward to hearing more!

Oh fun! I will have to follow along with your PTR too! And you are going for Halloween? I'm jealous. Thanks for joining in!

My mom feels the same way as your mom does...I'm hoping you can give her the Disney magic we both love. Happy planning. I just booked our Dec trip (Dec 5-11) but my husband does not know yet b/c he too is not a Disney fan. Trying to find the right time but I had to b/c the free dinning in December is too good to turn down and I upgraded us to Deluxe. He knows I wanted to go in December and asked me to work the numbers. Can't wait to read more of your planning. Are you planning to attend MVMCP and CP?

Welcome!! I love that you guys are going to be there when I am. Are you doing a PTR? I booked the free dining @ BWI but upgraded it to deluxe. My mom is not a huge ride person but loves food, so part of the fun will be trying all the restaurants. I won't feel bad not eating everything b/c it was mostly free, you know? I hope to do the CP and MVMCP!! Are you? I'm still waiting to hear if the CP package is going to be 1 or 2 TS credits!

Good luck with your planning! We love going to The World as adults (our children are grown). Since you are staying at Boardwalk you might enjoy having dinner at Kouzzina We have a reservation there for our October trip. On our trip last week we ate at Flying Fish for the first time and loved it. Your mother may also enjoy Jiko or Sanaa. WE had a window table for our dinner at Sanaa and loved watching the giraffes on the savannah.
Have fun!!

Hi and thanks for joining!! My mom is a huge Food Network fan so I think I am trying to book a meal at Kouzzina. You'll have to let me know how it is after you eat there! I also saw the menu for Sanaa and it looks delicious! And now I know to get a window seat to look at the animals, so thanks!

 

[wdwgirl03]

I'm in!! Soooo cool you decided on the Boardwalk!

 

[tinkgurl]

I'm here girl!

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

I'm in!! Soooo cool you decided on the Boardwalk!

Yayyy! Thanks for coming over!

I'm here girl!

Hi!! I'm so glad you are joining in!

 

[mousecrazy425]

Signing on to follow your PTR! I've done several mother-daughter trips in the past, so I'm interested to see what you plan to do with your mom...hopefully I can pick up some ideas for next time!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Following along! We are going Dec. 1 -10.

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

Signing on to follow your PTR! I've done several mother-daughter trips in the past, so I'm interested to see what you plan to do with your mom...hopefully I can pick up some ideas for next time!

Yay! Hopefully this will not be the last mother-daughter trip...I need to get her to like Disney!

Following along! We are going Dec. 1 -10.

Thanks for reading! I'll have to check out your PTR ASAP!

 

[disneysmiles]

Oh this will be really cool. I feel like my Disney experience growing up is similiar to yours. What you wanted to do was normally last on the list because there were so many other people to worry about. I'm so excited for you and your mom to have a fun Disney trip! I'm sure she will love it!

So have you officially booked the rooms at the Boardwalk?

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

Oh this will be really cool. I feel like my Disney experience growing up is similiar to yours. What you wanted to do was normally last on the list because there were so many other people to worry about. I'm so excited for you and your mom to have a fun Disney trip! I'm sure she will love it!

So have you officially booked the rooms at the Boardwalk?

Thank you! Yes we are officially booked! I can't wait!

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

For those of you who followed my last PTR/TR, you know I'm obsessed with American Idol! I just got back from 2 shows and got to hang out with the top ten contestants from season 8! I am still in shock and I know it is OT, so if you want to see pics or hear about my adventure, please PM me!

I'll update soon about my trip. I'm talking to my mom later about where she wants to eat. Hopefully she won't say, "Wherever YOU want to eat is fine with me."

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Can't wait to hear your dining plans!!!

 

[tinkgurl]

Thanks for the pics, girl!

I can't wait to read where you want to eat!

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

So I put together a tentative list of placed I'd want to eat. The * indicates if I have been there before.

Tony's for early lunch
*Ohana for late dinner

Sanaa for early lunch
Flying Fish for late dinner

The Wave for early lunch
Rose & Crown for dinner as part of Candlelight Processional package

*Raglan Road for lunch on departure day

That would give me all 9 credits from the deluxe dining plan that we upgraded to from free dining!

PLUS, it worked out that our first day could be MK day. There is a MVMCP that night so it would be perfect.

Second day would be AK in the morning, stop at Sanaa for lunch before going to DHS. Then back to Boardwalk for dinner at Flying Fish. Again, works out perfectly!

I've always wanted to try The Wave, so I figured lunch would be good there and we could spend the rest of the day in EPCOT before the CP. I wanted to do the CP on our last night b/c I thought it would get us in the Christmas spirit before going back home. PLUS, Vanessa Williams is the narrator for the show and I am a huge fan of Ugly Betty so I would enjoy that!

Anyways, I talked to my mom and she said "wherever you want to eat is fine with me!" But I hate when she says that. I said, OK - I'll read you the names of some restaurants and you can tell me yes or no. So I read her all the TS restaurants and told her where they were, what kind of food they have, if there were any antics, etc.

Basically after reading the list she decided: NO CHARACTER MEALS! NO ANTICS! and...NO OHANA?!

Ohana is my favorite so I might have to veto her vote on that one! But here is the list she came up with:

Biergarten
Rose & Crown
*Tutto Italia
*Le Cellier
Flying Fish
Kouzzina --- she's a big Food Network fan and likes Cat Cora
Narcoossee's
Artist Point
*Mama Melrose

So what do you guys think? I know some restaurants that have sounded unappealing to me have actually turned out to be fantastic. So I am of course not going to only make her go where I want because I want her to enjoy herself. I just need to figure out what restaurants will make the best impression!

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

Can't wait to hear your dining plans!!!

Why are dining plans so confusing?! I need help from you guys to decide!

Thanks for the pics, girl!

I can't wait to read where you want to eat!

Haha of course! I know about 3 people who like American Idol and besides for that my friends just roll their eyes at me. So thanks for letting me show you!

Ya I am totally going to need dining help this time around!

 

[mousecrazy425]

All your restaurant choices sound great! As far as your mom's list goes and picking restaurants that will make a good impression I would definitely go with the Flying Fish for dinner. It is SUCH a unique restaurant -- it's a completely different spin on gourmet seafood and it's so delicious! I would also try to fit in Artist Point if you have the time. My parents love it here -- the food is spectacular and the atmosphere is a little more "grown up" in a World that can sometimes be a bit too much for some adults. Any of your World Showcase picks sound good for the CP package, although I would put Biergarten last on the list. Those are just my suggestions anyway -- I read your list to my parents and asked them for their input too, so hopefully it helps.