Dexter & Mommy Are Going Back To DisneyWorld! (w/pics)

[natale1980]

When I found out about the free dining I called my parents up immediately and told them that they have waited way too long to book a Disney trip and this was the perfect time for them to go...

Fast forward a few months later and this is how the phone call went -
Mom - "Hi."
Me - "Dexter can't wait to go to Disney World with you and Dad!"
Mom - "What!??! Dexter's not going... this trip was just for me and your father."
Me - "Well you better tell Dexter." (he's only two and didn't really think he was going This was just my sneaky way of getting to go.)

A few days later...
Me - "Dexter is soooo excited to see the fireworks again."
Mom - "Well actually, I talked to you Dad about this and he said that we couldn't handle Dexter alone. And if He was coming you would have to come too."
Me - "Huh... well... OK!!!"

So now me and Tiny Man Dexter are going to Disney World!! We are leaving Shawn (DH) behind. Hey... someone has to stay home and make money .

My mom called up Disney and they said that you can add anyone to your room up until 5 days before your trip and that they would get the same package (in this case free dinning!!!).

So here is our cast...

My Parents, Mike & Diane - aka BigGuy & Bamma

Me & Dexter

And there is a slight possibility that Stephanie and Emmie will be joining us, but we may not know until the last minute.

It will be really nice if Emmie and Steph can come... cause Dexter and Emmie are Best Friends and they just love being with each other. Plus I'm sure my parents would like it better if both of their grandchildren were there.

We are driving from Chicago to Orlando - we can do this trip in as little as 17-18 hours... but with the little guy I'm thinking it may take more like 24 hours. I really wanted to fly but my parents prefer to drive and they wanted an extra driver. So since they are letting me crash their vacation I thought I better go along with it. Plus then I am saving money on airfare.

We are leaving home August 31st and coming home September 8th. I need help planning our dining. Most of the time when we go to Disney we just choose one or two sit down restaurants because of budget. But now that's not an issue. What are your favorites???
I know that I don't want to miss - Chef Mickeys & The restaurant in Japan. Also the breakfast @ Fort Wilderness at the trial's inn. But that one we will just pay out of pocket since it's so reasonably priced.

Thanks for reading...
-natale

By the way - I have more family history in my last TR if your interested. The link is in my signature.

 

[Avivasmom]

Congrats on the new baby.

That is great you can go with your parents....that is a long drive.

What cuties the grandchildren are.

 

[cherbear]

HI! I just read your trip report from January and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Dexter is a cutie-pie! Emmie is adorable, too! So their picture together was double cute!! I look forward to reading more!

 

[natale1980]

Avivasmom & cherbear,

Thanks for reading. Dexter is very excited... he keeps on saying that he wants to watch the boom - booms. I guess he really liked the fireworks. I'll be making all of our dining reservations this week.
I just realized today how quickly time is passing... I hope we are able to get in to all the restaurants we want!!

-nat

 

[blue_river]

Mom - "Well actually, I talked to you Dad about this and he said that we couldn't handle Dexter alone. And if He was coming you would have to come too."
Me - "Huh... well... OK!!!"

You're going back!!!

That was sneaky but SMART

And there is a slight possibility that Stephanie and Emmie will be joining us, but we may not know until the last minute.

That would be great - hope it happens for you

Most of the time when we go to Disney we just choose one or two sit down restaurants because of budget. But now that's not an issue.

This will be the fun part

Have fun making your choices!

Good to see you back

 

[natale1980]

Hi Blue!!
Thanks for joining. Looks like we are just going to miss each other by a few days. I'm sure you and your family will have a blast!! Just leave some of the little lizards for Dexter to chase!

So I made my first dinning reservation... I know... I know... I should have made these months ago. But I have been so caught up in everything else that Disney (should I say it) has been put on the back burner. Fortunately I was able to get us into Chef Mickey's for Dinner. It won't be until Friday Night, but I just wanted to get that one for sure and work everything else around it.
I am very disappointed that the one restaurant in Japan will be closed for refurbishment while we are there - along with Alfredo's in Italy. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to try out some new restaurants.

-nat

 

[blue_river]

Just leave some of the little lizards for Dexter to chase!

I'll be sure to mention that to the girls

So I made my first dinning reservation... I know... I know... I should have made these months ago. But I have been so caught up in everything else that Disney (should I say it) has been put on the back burner. Fortunately I was able to get us into Chef Mickey's for Dinner. It won't be until Friday Night, but I just wanted to get that one for sure and work everything else around it.

You're going to have so much fun there!

I cannot believe you haven't made any other ADR's yet

You better get on that quickly to be sure you get some of the ones you really want!!!

 

[arizonacolbys]

Looks like a fun bunch!! Followed you over from my trip report - I'll be on the lookout for your group, too!

Any other ADR thoughts? We also love Alfredo's & will be eating there on our first day so that we can dine there one last time before it closes. Did you want any more character meals? Crystal Palace for Breakfast & Liberty Tree for dinner are two of our favorites. We also love the buffet at Cape May Cafe for dinner - always had a good meal here.

 

[natale1980]

Looks like a fun bunch!! Followed you over from my trip report - I'll be on the lookout for your group, too!

Any other ADR thoughts? We also love Alfredo's & will be eating there on our first day so that we can dine there one last time before it closes. Did you want any more character meals? Crystal Palace for Breakfast & Liberty Tree for dinner are two of our favorites. We also love the buffet at Cape May Cafe for dinner - always had a good meal here.

Thanks for the ideas!! I know we definitely want to go to Crystal Palace (it's one of my parents favorites) And I was actually thinking about the Liberty Tree - It sounds like good food.

Well... I better go and make the rest of my Dinning Reservations!

-nat

 

[jackdis]

Congrats on your baby!! I was with you on your last trip report. Can't wait to hear about this one.

 

[natale1980]

Congrats on your baby!! I was with you on your last trip report. Can't wait to hear about this one.

Thanks for reading! I can't wait to go so that I have something interesting to write about when we get back! Looks like we'll be in Disney around the same time!! Better start packing!



BABY UPDATE: I went to the doctors today and everything looked good. We were able to hear it's little heart beat. Very Fast & Very Healthy!! The doctor said that it sounds like a Girl I guess we'll just have to wait and see. He was right about Dexter.

-nat

 

[jackdis]

We leave in 3 weeks and I haven't started packing. Not my usual style!!! We're actually going to the beach for a few days before Disney, so it's less than that. I have to get moving!!

Great news about your checkup!

 

[cherbear]

BABY UPDATE: I went to the doctors today and everything looked good. We were able to hear it's little heart beat. Very Fast & Very Healthy!! The doctor said that it sounds like a Girl I guess we'll just have to wait and see. He was right about Dexter.

-nat

Good news! I hope it IS a girl. Wouldn't Dexter LOVE a little sister? hehe

 

[natale1980]

Here is our eating itinerary...

Saturday - Arrive eat a counter service dinner

Sunday - ???

Monday - Crystal Palace 3:30pm

Tuesday - ???

Wednesday - Coral Reef 12:40

Thursday - My parents will eat in France 6:40pm
Me and my little man will eat at The Garden Grill 7:20pm

Friday - Chef Mickey 7:40pm

Saturday - Ohana 9:40am

Do you guys have any other ideas??? I know that I should have called in WEEKS if not MONTHS ago to make these reservations but I never thought that they would book up. (I know that all of you have told me that they would and with all of the TRs I have read I should know better... but I messed up!) Do you think I should just take my other two table service credits and wing it... or do you have any ideas.
So far Canada was all booked & so was the Liberty Tree Tavern.

Ideas please!

-nat

 

[natale1980]

Good news! I hope it IS a girl. Wouldn't Dexter LOVE a little sister? hehe

For the longest time he was pointing at my belly saying... "Baby Girl" But now he says... "Baby Boy" so who knows what he wants.
He's so attached to me that I think when this baby comes he's going to want to be an only child.

-nat

 

[jackdis]

We are trying Hollywood and Vine this time. It has characters from JoJo's Circus and Little Einsteins, I think. That might be fun for your little man!!

 

[arizonacolbys]

Here is our eating itinerary...

Saturday - Arrive eat a counter service dinner

Sunday - ???

Monday - Crystal Palace 3:30pm

Tuesday - ???

Wednesday - Coral Reef 12:40

Thursday - My parents will eat in France 6:40pm
Me and my little man will eat at The Garden Grill 7:20pm

Friday - Chef Mickey 7:40pm

Saturday - Ohana 9:40am

Do you guys have any other ideas??? I know that I should have called in WEEKS if not MONTHS ago to make these reservations but I never thought that they would book up. (I know that all of you have told me that they would and with all of the TRs I have read I should know better... but I messed up!) Do you think I should just take my other two table service credits and wing it... or do you have any ideas.
So far Canada was all booked & so was the Liberty Tree Tavern.

Ideas please!

-nat

Have you ever eaten at Cape May Cafe for their buffet dinner? We love it there - have eaten there every trip & never had a bad meal. It is our last dinner tradition. Beaches & Cream is fun if Dexter likes big ice cream sundaes & they don't take ADR's, it's first come, first serve, so that could be a good option, too. We love it there, and we've never had to wait for a table by going at off times - 11:30 or 2ish for lunch has worked well for us.

 

[natale1980]

Have you ever eaten at Cape May Cafe for their buffet dinner? We love it there - have eaten there every trip & never had a bad meal. It is our last dinner tradition. Beaches & Cream is fun if Dexter likes big ice cream sundaes & they don't take ADR's, it's first come, first serve, so that could be a good option, too. We love it there, and we've never had to wait for a table by going at off times - 11:30 or 2ish for lunch has worked well for us.

My family is not really into sea food, although I have heard a bunch of good things about Cape May Cafe from Dis.
I think we definitely are going to make a stop at Beaches & Cream!! It will be fun to see Dexter's eyes when he sees the big sundaes!!!

Have you ever eaten at the Whispering Canon Cafe (i think thats what it is called)??? How was it?

-nat

 

[natale1980]

Does anyone else feel like this or am I just VERY strange??

We NEVER eat at as many sit down restaurants as we are going to on this trip. Most of the time we pick 2 or 3 and spread those out for our whole trip. I am almost afraid that there is going to be too much food!!!! Plus with the limited timing of the reservations it almost seems like we have to plan our day around eating I'm not complaining about free food TRUST ME but this all still seems very weird to me.

-nat

 

[arizonacolbys]

My family is not really into sea food, although I have heard a bunch of good things about Cape May Cafe from Dis.
I think we definitely are going to make a stop at Beaches & Cream!! It will be fun to see Dexter's eyes when he sees the big sundaes!!!

Have you ever eaten at the Whispering Canon Cafe (i think thats what it is called)??? How was it?

-nat

Hi Nat!

Well, I don't eat ANY seafood at all & I love Cape May!! They always have lots of tasty non-seafood items - prime rib, rigatoni, bbq chicken & ribs, mashed potatoes, a huge salad bar with lots of different salads, soups & a yummy dessert bar. We brought my parents there last January & they loved it, too & I'm not sure they ate much seafood. It's a great place for the two of us to go & hubby to get his seafood fix while I can still eat normal food.

We've never eaten at Whispering Canyon...we thought about it since we'll be staying at WL this time, but we just aren't comfortable with all the antics while we eat. We'd rather relax somewhere after a long day at the parks. I know it is VERY popular & I think it could be fun with a bigger group, but with just the two of us for now, we probably won't be eating there. I think kids really love it there.

As for the eating too many sit-downs - we usually average one sit-down a day on our trips. We have so many favorite restaurants we like to visit & it's usually a good escape to sit down & enjoy the ac for an hour after a crazy day in the parks. Last year on the dining plan, we found the biggest problem was too much food with all the apps, entrees & desserts. At some of the counter service meals we took our desserts back to the resort for a later snack. We pretty much just ate what we could & tried not to stuff ourselves...Hope this helps!!