Disney for the 1st Time...Any advice?

[Angela&Kayla]

My DD8 and I will be going to Disney for the first time in August. We will be staying at the Pop Century from Aug 21 - 30. I didn't plan on going to Disney, but when I saw the free dining promotion, it made Disney affordable on my budget. Over the last week or so, I've been checking out this board and learned about ADR's (WHO KNEW!) and booked the following. Please let me know if they seem okay or if you have any suggestions and/or advice. I was very excited about my trip at first, but the more I "research" Disney, the more intimidated I get!

Aug 21 Princess Storybook Dining
Aug 22 Cinderella's Gala Feast @ 1900 Park Fare
Aug 23 Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic Package
Aug 24 Hoop Dee Doo Revue
Aug 25 Ohana for Supper
Aug 26 Le Cellier
Aug 27 Boma for Supper
Aug 28 Coral Reef
Aug 29 Cinderella's Royal Table for lunch
Aug 30 Crystal Palace for breakfast

Honestly, this seems like a lot of work for vacation! Hopefully it is worth it and Disney is as great as everyone says....

 

[clonetothebone]

Looks like you did a great job! It is a lot of work but it is so worth the effort!

 

[exwdwcm]

All great choices. I know it seems overwhelming looking at all the restaurants and eating you will be doing!

Hoop De doo will cost 2 TS dining credits though- last I heard.

We love Crystal Palace breakfast- really good food and great character interaction. We always book the first seating or last seating (late breakfast), so you get more character interaction.

Le Cellier was a favorite as well, at least for the adults.

Your daughter will love the Cinderella meal and 1900 park fare- both great.

Hoop Dee Doo was probably the highlight of our trip in December (besides MVMCP). Although the food is average, we had a great time at the show.

have a blast!

 

[millerjudi]

It is really, really worth the effort to make your ADR's ahead of time. We were at Disney in Nov 05 for four days and I did not make an ADR for our last night--big mistake as that was the only meal we didn't like. I have two suggestions of places that my kids (DD6 DH8) loved--WCC (though transportation here might be tough) and the Garden Grill in Epcot. The food at Garden Grill was great, and the kids loved the restaurant because you sit at your table, it turns and the scenery changes, and the characters come up to your table and sit down--great character interaction. Have a wonderful time (I know you will!)

 

[spaceacewannabe]

All great choices. I know it seems overwhelming looking at all the restaurants and eating you will be doing!

Hoop De doo will cost 2 TS dining credits though- last I heard.

Cinderella's Royal Table is also 2 credits. I would probably pay OOP for that one (since the dollar amount is low for a two-credit meal) and the Crystal Palace breakfast (since that's the cheapest), and then your credits should add up to the number of nights you're staying Right?

Edited to add that your choices look good---a lot of the same ones we're looking forward to trying soon!

 

[lynninpa]

For me, planning is half the fun! Overwhelming at times? Absolutely! (I planned our Grand Gathering for this coming August-for nine people! ) Yet it all pays off in the end! Really, it does! Some people "wing it." Others plan their days hour by hour. Us? We are somewhere in between. We choose one park to go to each day (with one day at a water park and one "open"day) and we made one TS ADR for each day ( mostly dinner, one breakfast) The evenings? We decide that when the time comes each day. You picked great places to eat! You will have a wonderful time, I am sure of that! After all, it IS Disney!! We will be at the POP August 27 - Sept 02. See you there!!

 

[mrzrich]

I have to say that I am very impressed by these choices. Great job for a first timer, and I'm willing to bet they will make you a second timer, and a third and a fourth, etc!

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

Your DD is going to love all those princess meals!

I like your mix of park and resort meals. It's fun to visit the other resorts. Be sure to have some time at AKL to see the animals and the best gift shop at WDW.

Have fun!

 

[Angela&Kayla]

Thanks for all the feedback!!

I do realize we went over on our ts meals, but I figured that we would pay for the last two meals oop (and that is why they are the cheapest! yeah, that's the anal retentive accountant in me coming out). I've heard nothing but great things about the hoop-dee-doo revue, and so I am excited about that. I've heard mixed reviews about Cinderella's lunch, but honestly, I just want to eat inside the castle!

I'm very excited to try Boma...I was planning a trip to Africa (I've been to Egypt, but to me Africa is more like, Zambia and Victoria Falls than Egypt)...and AKL looks so wonderful! I wanted to split my stay between AKL and the Pop, but instead decided just to stay longer at the pop and not blow most of my budget on lodging.

About WCC...I saw that a lot of people really liked it, and I like the menu, but I'm a bit...reserved? and would worry about if they would kind of back off if they noticed that or not. That is why I decided against it...

When I made my ADR's, I was told to allow an hour for each transfer. Does that mean, if I plan to go from the resort to a park in the morning, then back to the resort, and then to another resort (via a park), back to the park, and then back to my resort, I need to allow 5 hours a day for transportation? If that is the case, I'm thinking of renting a car...

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I think you made great choices. The only thing I'd wonder is whether you really want 3 princess meals and no meals with Mickey. To me eating with Mickey is a big part of the Disney experience. So I'd either just add another meal with Mickey or switch one of the other meals.

Otherwise it looks great!

 

[3princesses4us]

Wow, what a lucky little girl! I think you made great choices for yourself and an 8 year old girl. I would do every princess meal too if it was just me and her- DH gets annoyed.
Personally, I would think about paying out of pocket for the HDDR or CRT as it doesn't seem like a good use of 2 TS credits. Unless you two are planning on sharing a few meals and you just happen to have enough credits. Or like you said, pay OOP for a character breakfast, they seem to be the cheapest.
All in all, you seem very prepared. I didn't find the DISboards until AFTER my first trip. Boy, were my eyes opened to what I did wrong...