Back to My Happy Place; A Mother-Daughter Trip - Apr. 2013 Trip - And Away We Go!

[TJDisneymama]

For the IoA day I wouldn't want to have to leave at a certain time for an ADR so I would keep the breakfast

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[pwdebbie]

oooo yum! I think this one's a keeper!

Here is what we're looking at for a schedule so far. We've decided on the regular dining plan. Let me know what you think! Arrival day is still a DTD day, as we'll be too tired for any park action.

Day 1
Epcot

BREAKFAST - Crêpes des Chefs de France
LUNCH - Sunshine Seasons
DINNER - Via Napoli

Do you realize that your breakfast selection is a kiosk in the France pavilion? It is not a sit down place. And it won't be open until World showcase opens, 11:00. Doesn't make sense to wait that late for breakfast, then backtrack to Sunshine Seasons, then also try to eat at Via Napoli. My suggestion -- Breakfast at Sunshine Seasons, a crepe for a snack mid-day (they aren't all that big), then dinner at Via Napoli.

Day 2
Animal Kingdom

BREAKFAST - Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
LUNCH - Anandapur Local Foods Cafe

Epcot

DINNER - Garden Grill

Day 3
Disney's Hollywood Studios

BREAKFAST - Hotel/Starring Rolls Cafe
LUNCH - Pizza Planet
DINNER - Mama Melrose's OR 50's Diner

Day 4
Magic Kingdom

BREAKFAST - Hotel
LUNCH - Be Our Guest

Animal Kingdom Lodge

DINNER - Boma

Day 5
Universal Studios - Islands of Adventure

Right now, the only for sure thing we'll be doing here is eating at the Three Broomsticks.

Day 6
Magic Kingdom

BREAKFAST - Hotel/Main Street Bakery
LUNCH - Pecos Bill
DINNER - Cinderella's Royal Table

Departure Day
Polynesian Resort

BREAKFAST - Kona Cafe

What do you think of this so far?​

My main reply is above in read. Just wanted to add in that I'd skip IoA altogether and just get more time in the Disney Parks.

 

[rebeccaariel]

My main reply is above in read. Just wanted to add in that I'd skip IoA altogether and just get more time in the Disney Parks.

I knew the crepe place wasn't sit down, but I totally forgot that that section of the park doesn't open until 11:00! Thanks for the reminder. I think getting a crepe for a snack later is a good idea.

As for IoA, I know it's not economical or anything, but my mom and I both love Harry Potter, and she really wants to see that section of the park. She said that if we're going down to Florida, we'll be going there. She's pretty much letting me do whatever I want for the rest of the planning, but that was her one and only demand.

For the IoA day I wouldn't want to have to leave at a certain time for an ADR so I would keep the breakfast

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Very good point! I think I was freaking out for nothing.

 

[Stefjp]

My gosh you are so organised its unreal!!

I have a book in which i have various lists relating to park attractions, places to eat, things to pack etc but your organiser is on another level.

We are also staying at Port Orleans at the end of April but are staying in the French Quarter We are there for 14 Days and have hopper passes, but no DP.

 

[librarygeek]

Help! I'm wavering on my plans! This was bound to happen sooner or later

I'm happy with all my ADRs but I've started to wonder if breakfast is the best use of a TS credit. I know you don't get the most bang for your buck using it for breakfast, and while my mom keeps telling me to stop worrying about it and just book whatever I want (she's a go-with-the-flow type of person), I can't help but wonder if we should go to dinner instead of breakfast on the night we go to IoA.

What do you guys think? I really do want to try Tonga Toast at Kona, but there are so many restaurants that sound great. The other plus side of doing breakfast instead of dinner that night is getting to stay later at IoA and seeing Hogwarts all lit up and whatnot.

Talk me into keeping Kona/talk me out of it?

As far as the breakfast is concerned, my opinion is that it really depends on your preferences. If you love breakfast foods and are dying to try the Tonga Toast, then stick with it even if when it comes to numbers it might not be the best "value".

I think we're heading to IOA as soon as it opens, so we can hopefully hop on line for Harry Potter Forbidden Journey and do it before any huge lines form. I personally don't like IOA enough to spend more than half a day there, so for us it makes sense to go for the morning and then have more time in Epcot in the afternoon. But Hogwarts at night is definitely something to see, so I do recommend you do it that way if you can!

 

[rebeccaariel]

Thanks for all your continued help, guys!

As I've mentioned in other threads on this board if not in this one, it's been a tough couple of years for my mom and I, which is why we decided to go on this trip. She knows how much I love Disney World, and I'm not deluded enough to think that she picked this trip because it was really what she wanted. Don't get me wrong, she really does want to go, and is very excited about the trip, but she picked Disney World because of me. It's not necessarily a trip she would have picked if she was going with anyone but me.

So, I really want to make this special for her. She loves to run, so I've printed out jogging maps that show where she can go for a run at POR. I also want to give her a Disney Prep Package filled with things she might find useful at the parks.

She's a big coffee drinker and can't start her morning without it, but I know she'll hate the Nescafe they have at the parks. I'm thinking of putting some Starbucks VIA Ready Brew in the prep pack so that she can just add them to hot water instead of getting the Nescafe. Have any of you tried them? Are they any good? Better than Nescafe at least?

I might also get her a Brita filter water bottle.

I need some more ideas! What other things do you think I should get for her? What kinds of things do you think she'll need? Thanks so much!

 

[t_daniels]

Check the link in my Sig. Joffreys carts aren't Nescafe. A lot of hotel TS serve it too

 

[t_daniels]

I hate instant coffee, lots here do it though.


Could brew coffee in the room, put in a mug?

 

[librarygeek]

Hmm. I am making little bags to get my family excited about Disney. So far I've included a folder with detailed information about the trip (restaurants we're eating at, etc.), park maps. Also got a t-shirt for each family member, a vinylmation, a pin, and a stuffed animal. Is she into collecting anything? Maybe you could get her interested in either pins or vinylmations - even if not, it's fun to at least get one so you can try some trading in the parks! Also, what about getting personalized t-shirts from somewhere for you and your mom? I understand if you're not into that but I think matching mother/daughter shirts would be really cute!

 

[rebeccaariel]

Hmm. I am making little bags to get my family excited about Disney. So far I've included a folder with detailed information about the trip (restaurants we're eating at, etc.), park maps. Also got a t-shirt for each family member, a vinylmation, a pin, and a stuffed animal. Is she into collecting anything? Maybe you could get her interested in either pins or vinylmations - even if not, it's fun to at least get one so you can try some trading in the parks! Also, what about getting personalized t-shirts from somewhere for you and your mom? I understand if you're not into that but I think matching mother/daughter shirts would be really cute!

I'm a big Vinylmation collector, but she's not too much into collecting. She thinks my collection is great though! She built me a special shelf as a surprise a few months ago when I ran out of room to display my Vinylmations. Maybe I'll get her a special Vinylmation and she can start her own little collection. I'll have to take a look!

Does anyone have any experience with the Wishes dessert party? We have an early CRT dinner on our last night, and I'm thinking of booking the dessert party that night as a surprise for my mom. I plan to get her a really nice gift (haven't decided what yet) to thank her for going on the trip with me and I could give it to her then. What do you think?

 

[rebeccaariel]

AAAAAND flights are booked!

It's a relief, but it's also nerve-wracking, because now I have 5 months of nothing until the trip I hate having nothing left to do! Knowing me, I'll find something.

The only thing left to book is the Wishes Dessert Party. I think it'll be a nice surprise for my mom, along with the gift I'm going to get her and give to her then. I'm saving up to get her something great. Not sure what, but I'm thinking of getting her a necklace with all of our birthstones in it (hers, mine, and my brothers) or something like that.

 

[leshunlenese]

yah! for booking!
you could work on touring plans or something i guess. I will probably feel the same way when i get to that point!

 

[rebeccaariel]

Changed around a few ADRs!

the crowd predictions of touringplans and easywdw contradicted each other on one day and I had originally gone with touringplans but I spontaneously changed my mind, so I adjusted some ADRs to make it more convenient

Now it's:

Sunday - Epcot - lunch: Sunshine Seasons, dinner: Via Napoli
Monday - DHS - lunch: ABC Commissary or Pizza Planet, dinner: 50's Primetime Cafe
Tuesday - AK until the afternoon/Epcot in the evening - lunch: Yak and Yet CS, dinner: Garden Grill
Wednesday - MK - lunch: Be Our Guest, dinner: Boma
Thursday - IoA - Kona breakfast
Friday - MK - lunch: Pecos Bill, dinner: Cinderella's Royal Table

 

[Stefjp]

I just paid my last instalment for our trip! Exciting!

 

[librarygeek]

Does anyone have any experience with the Wishes dessert party? We have an early CRT dinner on our last night, and I'm thinking of booking the dessert party that night as a surprise for my mom. I plan to get her a really nice gift (haven't decided what yet) to thank her for going on the trip with me and I could give it to her then. What do you think?

I booked it for our honeymoon. If you go to my dining review in my sig there's a review of the whole thing. We loved it! The fireworks were great, of course, and the dessert was really good too. The booking doesn't open consistently though so I recommend following the Wishes dessert party watch thread here on the DIS. I think it would be a great idea to take her to that and give her the gift then!

 

[rebeccaariel]

Wow, I haven't updated this thread in a long time!

The holidays were really busy but now we're closer than ever to the WDW trip! I just want time to go faster so I can be there. All I can do now is wait and stock up on things I'll need for the trip.

I got a new lens for my DSLR, which will be great to use at WDW. I'm a bit of a gamer, and I always bring my Nintendo DS on trips with me, so on top of a few new games, I got a case that holds all my games and SD cards for my camera, which will be very useful for the trip.

I'm still waiting and crossing my fingers for an April discount code. Here's hoping!

 

[TJDisneymama]

Wow, I haven't updated this thread in a long time!

The holidays were really busy but now we're closer than ever to the WDW trip! I just want time to go faster so I can be there. All I can do now is wait and stock up on things I'll need for the trip.

I got a new lens for my DSLR, which will be great to use at WDW. I'm a bit of a gamer, and I always bring my Nintendo DS on trips with me, so on top of a few new games, I got a case that holds all my games and SD cards for my camera, which will be very useful for the trip.

I'm still waiting and crossing my fingers for an April discount code. Here's hoping!

the discount is already out for the disney visa holders. otherwise, you can book it on the 3rd

 

[rebeccaariel]

the discount is already out for the disney visa holders. otherwise, you can book it on the 3rd

Oh awesome! I didn't know that. I'm not a disney visa holder so I'll wait but that's still great!

 

[librarygeek]

Wow, I haven't updated this thread in a long time!

The holidays were really busy but now we're closer than ever to the WDW trip! I just want time to go faster so I can be there. All I can do now is wait and stock up on things I'll need for the trip.

I got a new lens for my DSLR, which will be great to use at WDW. I'm a bit of a gamer, and I always bring my Nintendo DS on trips with me, so on top of a few new games, I got a case that holds all my games and SD cards for my camera, which will be very useful for the trip.

I'm still waiting and crossing my fingers for an April discount code. Here's hoping!

The holidays were very busy for me too so I haven't updated in awhile either! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year

I may have asked you this before, so forgive me if I did (I've been asking a lot of people this lately), but what kind of DSLR do you have? I'm saving up for one and still researching the options.

 

[rebeccaariel]

The holidays were very busy for me too so I haven't updated in awhile either! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year

I may have asked you this before, so forgive me if I did (I've been asking a lot of people this lately), but what kind of DSLR do you have? I'm saving up for one and still researching the options.

I hope you had a great Christmas and New Years also!

I have a Canon 60D, and I love it. I think it's the perfect camera for me. I'm a film student, so the ability to film in high quality is a definite bonus.

~~~TRIP UPDATE~~~

I got the new discount for my dates! Yay! Had to switch from a preferred room to a garden view to get it, but I really don't mind. It was worth it to save over $600. And I got our tickets to Universal as well! We have a ton of Airmiles and we redeemed them for tickets, so that was a good way to save some money. All that's left is to book the Wishes Dessert Party, but that won't be until much closer to the trip. I'm so excited! I hope the next few months fly by.