Deluxe Dining Newbies for DH's 40th

[Lizboo]

We (DH 39 and me 38...only kids around here have fur and are not allowed at Disney...how unfair is that ) will be returning to WDW this fall for DH's 40th birthday
We will be at POFQ (for the first time) this October for 11 days. We got our package through CAA and we had originally signed up for the Disney Dining Plan, but we are going to upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan. This is the first year since we started going annually in 2000 that we did not get the Water Parks and more option, just because we have never been that late in the year before. I figure we can add it once we get there if we want to.

Since we are still 2 months away from knowing the park and EMHs, I have some idea of a game plan for my ADRs, but I know that will change once I know more.

I bought tickets to MNSSHP yesterday for October 27. I had wanted to get tickets for October 29, but I was told this was a tentative date and the party will not be held then. I was disappointed (I thought buying tickets on the 29 would be better because I am only going to be there one Tuesday but two Thursdays....watch, that Tuesday will be the only day an evening EMH is offered at AK...I bet). I will just have to wait and see.

We also want to do the Wilderness Segway tour while we are there. I am trying to come up with more birthday suprizes.

New restaurants I want to try include:
CRT
Citricos
Mama Melrose
Nine Dragons
Marrakesh
Crystal Palace
Ohana
Coral Reef
Ragland Road

Restaurants we want to return to include:
Le Cellier
California Grill
Narcoosee's
Teppan Edo
Yak and Yeti

(Did I mention we were doing the Deluxe Plan for the first time??)

We will also be visiting Universal, Islands of Adventure & Sea World...attending HHN (if I can be brave) and seeing the Blue Man Group.

Doesn't sound very relaxing? Maybe not, but I think it will be fun.

Thanks for reading

 

[Lizboo]

OK, so I woke up at 5:45 this morning (I am NOT a morning person) and sat down with my Excel spreadsheet. I decided I had two minutes, so I brushed my teeth and sat back down...waited for 6:00. Logged in and it still would not retrieve my reservation...started to panic...and then, it worked.

SO..we did upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan, so I made 24 (yes count em..) 24 ADRs. I started with the hardest and most important ones...CRT, Le Cellier on DH's b'day and Ohana before MNNSHP. Ohana was a no go, but I swap the day before (Teppan Edo) and everything was fine. I was also not able to get Mama Melrose on our first night (it was a Fantasmic night, but I thought I would try anyway). I swapped that with a Sci Fi a few days later (so that worked out).

I am going to book our Segway tour today.

I am so relieved that the ADR part is over (but I KNOW I will mess with the dates...and do some swapping around..can't help it).

I also have the flights booked. It was cheaper to book two one way trips (go figure) and on the return trip, we have our very first direct flight...how great it that??

 

[Lizboo]

Woo hoo!! Just heard from my TA this morning that the cost of this Disney vacation just decreased signifigantly!!
We have to pay for the upgrade to Deluxe, but still...AWESOME.

I was also able to switch the Teppan Edo and Ohana's days back to where I originally wanted, but my ressie at Ohana's is for 5:00. I was hoping to get earlier because they let you in at 4:00 for MNSSHP, but I will keep trying.