Disney Experts Needed Please.....

[DisneyMom2Reese]

Hi. When I come on this board I am always so happy because it means I am going to my favorite place in the whole world: DISNEY!!!!

I always like to plan ahead of time so I see and do as much as possible!
This trip I am taking my 12 yr old as a surprise for her 13th birthday . It is so hard to keep the secret !! I want to tell her, but I am being strong! LOL
My hubby, 2 yr old and 10 yr old are going as well.
I am not sure what parks to pick. We are going Mothers Day Weekend May 11-13th. Has anyone ever gone this weekend? How was it?

OK here is dilema. I would like to choose Magic Kingdom and MGM, but my daughter really wants to ride Mt Everest! So do I give up MK or MGM for AK? Decisions!!??

What would you all do? Staying friday night at off property resort, and then parks Sat & Sun. I am so excited all I do is come online and look up DISNEY related stuff!!

I look forward to hearing plans, ideas, and just general input from everyone!
Thank you so much.
PS We collect Disney Pins so any info on that would be greatly appreciated, too!! (secrets, tips, things not to miss)~

DISNEY MOM

 

[eliza61]

MGM to me is more show orientated. You have the Indiana Jones, Lights, motor, action (I think that's the name), beauty and the beast and fantasmic. To me Mk seems to be bigger with the more famous rides Space and splash mountain, POTC, haunted mansion, buzz lightyear etc. I would probably skip MGM and go with MK. It's not a trip without Cinderalla's castle.

 

[irongirlof12]

you could do AK in the morning and 'hop' to Mk for afternoon, you could book dinner at californian grill (contempory)and order a birthday cake made for her. then watch fireworks from restuarant.

(make sure you get a birthday pin)

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Did you consider getting hopper tickets so that you can make maybe hit all three of your park pickss? Ak isn't a big draw for us, but with EE, we always pop in that park for a few hours. We are not really into the shows so much with MGM, but we could not do without riding ToT and RnR. And I agree with PP, no visit to Disney would be complete without doing MK and seeing the castle.

My personal favorite is Epcot, but we are foodies and love the World Showcase (and Test Track and Soarin).

 

[TheDizMom]

I'm not as big a fan of MGM as I am of the other 3, so I would say skip it. However since your taking your niece for her 13th b-day she may really like ToT, RR and for sure Fantasmic. The park hopper is your best bet to do AK and the cool rides there and also MGM which would be better at night because of Fantasmic. Then go to Epcot one day and MK another. A fun birthday thing to do might be the Hoop-Dee-Doo, if you could still swing a reservation. We loved it and they single out the birthday people in the show and she may even be able to participate in it.

I hope she loves her surprise and has a great birthday. My DD just had her b-day there and she had a ball.

 

[DisneyMom2Reese]

Hi. Thanks for the ideas. I really love the Hoop Dee Doo. I have been there only once and a long time ago. It wasn't my birthday, but the couple we went with it was there special day.....well wouldn't ya know I GOT PICKED to go up and do the dance! HA HA I was laughing so hard! But it was so much fun. So maybe on that note I will plan for that dinner show.
Still quite a bit confused on the park situation. The thing is we are so limited with time and I love so many things up there. I wish I had more time.
So possible plan:
Fri Night: Hoop Dee Doo go back to OP resort
Sat: MK
Sun: Epcot (for test track, nemo & Soarin (never got to ride soarin line was too long)!!!
sun night.....Home.... (but on ride home planning next trip)

I would like to maybe sneak in a character dining for the 2 yr old. The only one we ALWAYS do is the one at Ohana's. Is there anything else you would suggest? She LOVES mickey, minnie, ALL the princess's!!

PS The 12 yr old b day girl is my DD.....<g>


THANKS!!!! (almost in orlando)!!!!!!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I would like to maybe sneak in a character dining for the 2 yr old. The only one we ALWAYS do is the one at Ohana's. Is there anything else you would suggest? She LOVES mickey, minnie, ALL the princess's!!

PS The 12 yr old b day girl is my DD.....<g>


THANKS!!!! (almost in orlando)!!!!!!

We love Chef Mickey's. There always seemed to be a character at our table and lots of action to keep little ones entertained. We like CP, 1900 Park Fare and Ohana's too. We did the Princess breakfast at the castle once (and have done dinner there too), but wasn't that hot on it-but if your little one just loves the princesses, that may be the way to go. Hard to tell and it all depends on what everyone likes.

 

[badblackpug]

I would get a hopper and split one day between AK and MGM then spend a full day in Mk. MK character dining: We've done Crystal Palace (Pooh and friends) the food was pretty good. Chef Mickeys (mickey/minnie and friends) the food is decent. Our fav. is 1900 Park Fair at the Grand Floridian (on the monorail from MK) Cinderella and friends.

 

[DisneyMom2Reese]

We love Chef Mickey's. There always seemed to be a character at our table and lots of action to keep little ones entertained. We like CP, 1900 Park Fare and Ohana's too. We did the Princess breakfast at the castle once (and have done dinner there too), but wasn't that hot on it-but if your little one just loves the princesses, that may be the way to go. Hard to tell and it all depends on what everyone likes.

Hi again. 1900 Park Fare was booked because of Mother's Day weekend so we ended up just now booking The Crystal Palace for lunch. Has anyone ever had the lunch? I am so excited. The only bad thing is it takes up so much time which is time away from all the rides (I guess its like a down time for us moms to cool off from the HOT day its going to be)!!!
Anymore tips I will greatfully appreciate....
Thanks!!

 

[TheDizMom]

CP is awesome, but I haven't been there for lunch. I think you would be safe though since the food is so good. Another thought would be the Princess Storybook lunch or breakfast at Epcot. My DD loved getting to see so many princesses at one time . Chef Mickey's is our favorite character meal though.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Lunch is the only meal we have ever done at CP. I think it is about average for the food. My kids really liked Pooh and Friends parading through the restaurant and being able to join in on the fun. We had to ask our server to send Piglet over once since that was the only character that hadn't stopped at our table by the time we were finished eating. They were happy to oblige and Piglet came right over. Think you and your family will have lots of fun there!

 

[daisyduck123]

We will be in WDW for my DD's 13 b-day this summer.

We've got an ADR for CRT for breakfast,
ADR for the princess dinner at Akershus,
& then we're going on an Illuminations cruise.

I think the cruise will be the highlight of her b-day.

All of the boats for the cruises will be booked by now, but you could check out the "cruises" forum & see if someone has room to share with your family.

**BTW, there are some great b-day trading pins.
I plan on getting my DD some too.

 

[DisneyMom2Reese]

spending all day today planning and changing...vice versa.

set on the MK for saturday.
CP for lunch same day.

Now I want to change Epcot for mothers day because in reading other thread's it is sounding a bit crowded (more so than the other parks).
I dont mind the crowds, but add the HEAT, and 3 kids and your day can get hectic!

What does everyone think about MGM for Mother's Day?
(ruled out AK because it was only for that one ride (EE)