A Grand way to Graduate! May 2016 PTR - Updated 5/14

[kadrachb]

Joining in.
What a wonderful way to celebrate a graduation.

We celebrate the BFs graduation there in 2014 (We went in May - but he technically didn't graduate until July), which is actually what made us love Disney!

 

[brb1006]

My favorite place for viewing Illuminations is at the Japan Pavilion.

 

[Sarahh1027]

Last May we got a great spot to watch Illuminations. We were going to settle for standing behind other people until I saw a huge patch of the front unoccupied. A little cart selling some sort of souvenir was packing up so I asked the cast members if we could stand behind/sort of off to the side from them. They said Of Course! It was right at the beginning of World Show Case- sort of between the beginning and United Kingdom. What a difference front row made!! We fit with a family of 5. My boyfriend and I are going this May and I'm SO excited to just have 2 of us. It'll be so much easier to find spots I hope!

 

[kadrachb]

My favorite place for viewing Illuminations is at the Japan Pavilion.

Thanks for the info! I was thinking Japan or Italy...

Last May we got a great spot to watch Illuminations. We were going to settle for standing behind other people until I saw a huge patch of the front unoccupied. A little cart selling some sort of souvenir was packing up so I asked the cast members if we could stand behind/sort of off to the side from them. They said Of Course! It was right at the beginning of World Show Case- sort of between the beginning and United Kingdom. What a difference front row made!! We fit with a family of 5. My boyfriend and I are going this May and I'm SO excited to just have 2 of us. It'll be so much easier to find spots I hope!

Thats sounds like an awesome spot! What luck you have! My boyfriend and I are both semi-short (I'm 5'4, he likes to say he's 5'8 - but he's really 5'7), so sometimes standing behind people can be a drag.

And I'm sure it will be easier to find spots... hopefully you can get some really good ones too!

 

[Sarahh1027]

My boyfriend and I are both semi-short (I'm 5'4, he likes to say he's 5'8 - but he's really 5'7), so sometimes standing behind people can be a drag.

I can 100% relate to this!! I'm 5'4 also, being short has its perks..but being short at Disney during parades and shows...definitely not one of them!

 

[LinderInWonderland]

Joining in and all caught up on your PTR!

Exciting resort changes! Are you going to try 'Ohana or Kona Cafe for an ADR? I am obsessed with the breakfast at 'Ohana, but I also really want to try Kona. That Tonga Toast sounds amazing (though I know it's also available at Captain Cooks for a CS).

 

[kadrachb]

Joining in and all caught up on your PTR!

Exciting resort changes! Are you going to try 'Ohana or Kona Cafe for an ADR? I am obsessed with the breakfast at 'Ohana, but I also really want to try Kona. That Tonga Toast sounds amazing (though I know it's also available at Captain Cooks for a CS).

Currently, we have a Kona lunch ADR for our last park day. We did 'Ohana breakfast last year, and Kenny was actually got sick during it (not due to the food, he suffers from iron overload and hadn't started a real treatment for it before we left, just blood draws, and we think the good effect of the blood draw had started to wear off by that day - he also drank more than he normally does the day before), and I found the eggs to be kinda too mushy for my tastes. We were both also exhausted due to no 'break' day since it was at the end of our trip. We've been debating making an ADR for it, but I don't think we will just because of the time ADRs take.

Since we're at club level we actually have breakfast taken care of for us... but I'm sure someday I'll sneak into Captain Cooks right before breakfast ends to grab some Tonga Toast

 

[kadrachb]

Hey everyone! Updating now while I have a minute - the past two weeks have been crazy! A medical emergency with my roommate/best friend had me at the Hospital for two days, and the start of classes this Tuesday was holding me up.

Tentative Plans – Day 5 – 5/21
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This will be our “break” day! Originally planning no days in the parks – we decided to add another day to our tickets so we can visit MK this night.

But during the morning, we’ll swim and hang out at the resort. Before switching resorts, I had an ADR at Sanaa at 12:30pm, which we’ll be keeping! Really excited to try this place! We’ll use a taxi or uber to get over there, and have lunch we’ll probably go look around the gift shop at Jambo (my mom absolutely LOVES giraffes – we have a 9 foot fake stuffed one in our living room that she got when she was 16) and hopefully find something for my mom there!

After lunch and the gift shop, I’m undecided if we’ll head back to the Poly or go straight to Disney Springs. I’m thinking the latter, because we’ll most likely be back at the resort around 6 if we head straight to DS.


Around 7, we’ll head over to the MK! I’ll FP+ 7DMT, Peter Pan, and unsure of a 3rd one yet. Dinner will be a QS at MK, either Peco Bills or Columbia Harbor House since we haven’t ever been to either, and we’re not super picky eaters (any suggestions between the two?). Maybe if we’re –really- hungry we’ll try and get a seat at Skipper’s if it’s not completely ADRs by then.

 

[Saphire5742]

Day 5 plans sound wonderful and relaxing

 

[LinderInWonderland]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hope things are on the mend!

As for CHH vs. Pecos Bill: I haven't eaten at either, but the menu at CHH appeals to me more than at PB. I want to try their lobster roll (mostly because I am from New England and miss lobster rolls and will take what I can get when I can get it!)

I hope you have fun at Sanaa! My SIL's favorite park is Animal Kingdom, mostly because she is super passionate about animals. I hear Sanaa lunch is the best time for being able to see the animals while you eat.

 

[Raeven]

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[NJlauren]

LOVE some relaxing!

I think a relaxing day and then being able to hit a park up a night! perfect day!

 

[Sarahh1027]

I really enjoyed Columbia Harbor House when I went there back in August 2014. I wasn't sure going in, but I got a seat on the 2nd floor and enjoyed my chicken pot pie and steamed broccoli very much

I've only been to Pecos Bills on my first trip and it was late during Wishes so we just had french fries but I remember it being super memorable because it was my first night at Disney EVER in my life and we forgot to eat earlier because we were having SO much fun. I was really grateful that Pecos Bill was still serving food even though it was deserted inside!

 

[chunkymonkey]

But during the morning, we’ll swim and hang out at the resort. Before switching resorts, I had an ADR at Sanaa at 12:30pm, which we’ll be keeping! Really excited to try this place!

Mmmmm Sanaa is sooo good! I wish I have time to go here on our trip. I know they tweaked their menu recently but I'm sure it's just as good!

We’ll use a taxi or uber to get over there, and have lunch we’ll probably go look around the gift shop at Jambo (my mom absolutely LOVES giraffes – we have a 9 foot fake stuffed one in our living room that she got when she was 16) and hopefully find something for my mom there!

Wow do you have a picture of this giraffe?

​

Around 7, we’ll head over to the MK! I’ll FP+ 7DMT, Peter Pan, and unsure of a 3rd one yet. Dinner will be a QS at MK, either Peco Bills or Columbia Harbor House since we haven’t ever been to either, and we’re not super picky eaters (any suggestions between the two?). Maybe if we’re –really- hungry we’ll try and get a seat at Skipper’s if it’s not completely ADRs by then.

I vote for Columbia Harbor House! I love all the options there, and the food is tasty!

 

[kadrachb]

Day 5 plans sound wonderful and relaxing

Thanks! I'm excited to have a break day planned in this year!

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hope things are on the mend!

As for CHH vs. Pecos Bill: I haven't eaten at either, but the menu at CHH appeals to me more than at PB. I want to try their lobster roll (mostly because I am from New England and miss lobster rolls and will take what I can get when I can get it!)

I hope you have fun at Sanaa! My SIL's favorite park is Animal Kingdom, mostly because she is super passionate about animals. I hear Sanaa lunch is the best time for being able to see the animals while you eat.

She is getting better! She actually got diagnosed with a life-long disease and she has to now learn how to live with, but she's a champ!
My favorite park is AK too! And since we loved AKL but changed resorts, I still wanted a chance to visit.

Fof fastpass is not worth it if it's hot out. It's in direct sunlight and the ground is too hot to sit on. (We went in September though). We probably could've found shadier seats that were just as good without the Fp. I would recommend it for a nighttime parade though.

Thanks for the info! Yeah, now that we're staying so close to MK, I don't think I'll really need it because it'll be so easy to get us back to the resort. Before, it was mostly to make me stay at the park to see it.

LOVE some relaxing!

I think a relaxing day and then being able to hit a park up a night! perfect day!

Its so weird to think "oh yes, let me go relax at WDW" and when it's only another $10 for another ticket day...

I really enjoyed Columbia Harbor House when I went there back in August 2014. I wasn't sure going in, but I got a seat on the 2nd floor and enjoyed my chicken pot pie and steamed broccoli very much

I've only been to Pecos Bills on my first trip and it was late during Wishes so we just had french fries but I remember it being super memorable because it was my first night at Disney EVER in my life and we forgot to eat earlier because we were having SO much fun. I was really grateful that Pecos Bill was still serving food even though it was deserted inside!

I love chicken pot pie! Last year we went to Village Haus at like 9pm, and there were hardly anyone around! Its so odd to not see a ton of people at once.

Mmmmm Sanaa is sooo good! I wish I have time to go here on our trip. I know they tweaked their menu recently but I'm sure it's just as good!

I'm excited for the bread service! Hopefully they still have that red pepper hummus, or maybe it was roasted tomato? I can't remember, but they had it at club level and at Boma last year, and I saw it on the bread service menu. That stuff is soooo good.

Wow do you have a picture of this giraffe?

I do! Here ya go! Don't mind the two other people in the picture, they're highschool friends of mine and we spent New Years Eve together. This might not show exactly how tall the giraffe is... but he's pretty tall, considering I'm only 5'4.

I vote for Columbia Harbor House! I love all the options there, and the food is tasty!

Good to note! Thats two or three for CHH!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Wow you weren't kidding when you said it's a 9 foot giraffe! That's really awesome!

 

[chelsearenee]

Joining in! Such an awesome way to celebrate your graduation. My fiancé and I will be staying at the AKL May 22-30 for our honeymoon.

 

[Sarahh1027]

That giraffe is amazing! I'm impressed!

 

[kadrachb]

Tentative Plans – Day 6​

Park: Animal Kingdom
Park Hours: 9:00am – 6:30pm

To start our day off, we have a pre-park ADR at Tusker House for 8:05am. We love this breakfast, its actually one of the two places Kenny says he definitely does not want to miss. To get to AK, I think we’ll end up taking a taxi so we don’t have to wait around for a bus.

After breakfast, will hop in line for the Safari, hopefully before RD. This also means we won’t have to use a FP on it.

I’m having a slight problem on what to FP exactly. Since RoL may be happening once we get there, and if there is a FP for it, that would definitely eat one of them up. I’m thinking our other two will be DINOSAUR and EE. Hopefully this year we actually get to ride DINOSAUR. Our first year we were just too tired to continue on at AK and left, and last year the ride went down that morning. I’m not so sure about riding Kali either, because I don’t really want to be soaked walking around all day. And if RoL is up and running, we’ll be there until night (I mean, we will most LIKELY take a break, but, I dunno…)

Another thing to throw into the mix is dinner. Originally, we were either just going to do QS in the park, or at the poly whenever we took our break. I know our breakfast will fill us up. This REALLY depends on the time of RoL… I’m thinking we’ll do 8:00am – 2:00pm in the park, leave, and then come back. However, with Tiffins hopefully opening along with RoL, I may try to get an ADR there…. Any advice?

I know we definitely want to see FoLK and Nemo (we’ve never seen the Nemo show before).
Our plans are still up in the air for the whole day though… Which is hard because AK is my favorite park!

 

[kadrachb]

Joining in! Such an awesome way to celebrate your graduation. My fiancé and I will be staying at the AKL May 22-30 for our honeymoon.

& thanks for joining in! We love AKL! Seeing the animals is amazing, and the theme of the resort has to be one of my favorites. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

That giraffe is amazing! I'm impressed!

Yeah, my mom got it when she was 16! Her brothers drove it up on her birthday with its head sticking out of the window of the station wagon (or so they say).