CarolineInToronto
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2010
- Messages
- 64
WOOHOO! How exciting is it to have my very own pre-trip report to get all gushy over 
Here are the players:
me (Caroline), DH Brent, DD 13 Serena and DS 9 Morgan - living in Toronto, ON.
Background story on this trip:
For the past 6 years, we've been vacationing as a family mostly on cruises that I earned through the direct company I work with. But this past May, I had to cash out on my trip (due to a timing conflict) and hubby & I decided that we'd use the money to do our family's first ever trip to WDW instead!
Now, my husband will say I'm a little sadistic at times, and he might be right... because this is how I presented this to our kids:
I told them that Dad & I had something really important that we needed to discuss as a family, and I had them sit down on the couch together in the living room. I then explained that after much thought and consideration, our family would NOT be travelling together on the cruise as originally planned.
Now, I could just see it in their eyes: "not travelling together? They're going without us?????!!??"
"Instead", I said, "this is what's going to happen..." and I pressed play on the DVD player.
Of course I had queued up the Disney Vacation DVD I'd received in the mail and it showed gently wafting clouds before focusing in on the most beautiful and magical castle of all.
"OMG! We're going to DISNEY!!!!" my daughter screamed at the top of her lungs as she jumped onto the couch!!!
I was now the best parent in the whoooole wiiiiiiide woooooorld!
When are we going, and where?
We're flying in on Wednesday December 8th and (boohoo) going home Thursday December 16, staying at the Port Orleans - Riverside resort. Best of all, my BFF and sister-of-my-heart Christyne and her family will be joining us for 6 days towards the end of the trip.
Where are we going to eat?
Ha! Big question...lots of answers. I've been ADRing like crazy and have lined the following TS meals up after much analysis of All Ears menus & my families eating patterns:
THURSDAY December 9 - RESORT DAY
- Whispering Canyon Café - late lunch
FRIDAY December 10 - EPCOT
- Le Cellier Steakhouse - lunch (all I could get, time-wise)
SATURDAY December 11 - MAGIC KINGDOM
- Crystal Palace (Character breakfast)
SUNDAY December 12 - RESORT DAY
- Chef Mickey - Contemporary Resort - dinner
MONDAY December 13 - ANIMAL KINGDOM
- Tusker House (Character breakfast)
- BOMA - Animal Kingdom Lodge - late dinner
TUESDAY December 13 - HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
- Sci-Fi - lunch
WEDNESDAY December 15 - EPCOT
- Les Chefs de France - lunch, and hoping for a visit from Rémy from Ratataouiile!
Thank you, Disney FREE DINING and the pixie dust in my Inbox that gave me the magic PIN code to take care of the blackout dates
So that's it for now. Having a blast reading and soaking in all the info a Disney newbie can, so I can indulge my pre-planning OCD compulsions
Looking forward to 4 more months of planning! BRING IT ONNNNNNN!

Here are the players:
me (Caroline), DH Brent, DD 13 Serena and DS 9 Morgan - living in Toronto, ON.
Background story on this trip:
For the past 6 years, we've been vacationing as a family mostly on cruises that I earned through the direct company I work with. But this past May, I had to cash out on my trip (due to a timing conflict) and hubby & I decided that we'd use the money to do our family's first ever trip to WDW instead!
Now, my husband will say I'm a little sadistic at times, and he might be right... because this is how I presented this to our kids:
I told them that Dad & I had something really important that we needed to discuss as a family, and I had them sit down on the couch together in the living room. I then explained that after much thought and consideration, our family would NOT be travelling together on the cruise as originally planned.
Now, I could just see it in their eyes: "not travelling together? They're going without us?????!!??"
"Instead", I said, "this is what's going to happen..." and I pressed play on the DVD player.
Of course I had queued up the Disney Vacation DVD I'd received in the mail and it showed gently wafting clouds before focusing in on the most beautiful and magical castle of all.
"OMG! We're going to DISNEY!!!!" my daughter screamed at the top of her lungs as she jumped onto the couch!!!
I was now the best parent in the whoooole wiiiiiiide woooooorld!
When are we going, and where?
We're flying in on Wednesday December 8th and (boohoo) going home Thursday December 16, staying at the Port Orleans - Riverside resort. Best of all, my BFF and sister-of-my-heart Christyne and her family will be joining us for 6 days towards the end of the trip.
Where are we going to eat?
Ha! Big question...lots of answers. I've been ADRing like crazy and have lined the following TS meals up after much analysis of All Ears menus & my families eating patterns:
THURSDAY December 9 - RESORT DAY
- Whispering Canyon Café - late lunch
FRIDAY December 10 - EPCOT
- Le Cellier Steakhouse - lunch (all I could get, time-wise)
SATURDAY December 11 - MAGIC KINGDOM
- Crystal Palace (Character breakfast)
SUNDAY December 12 - RESORT DAY
- Chef Mickey - Contemporary Resort - dinner
MONDAY December 13 - ANIMAL KINGDOM
- Tusker House (Character breakfast)
- BOMA - Animal Kingdom Lodge - late dinner
TUESDAY December 13 - HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
- Sci-Fi - lunch
WEDNESDAY December 15 - EPCOT
- Les Chefs de France - lunch, and hoping for a visit from Rémy from Ratataouiile!
Thank you, Disney FREE DINING and the pixie dust in my Inbox that gave me the magic PIN code to take care of the blackout dates

So that's it for now. Having a blast reading and soaking in all the info a Disney newbie can, so I can indulge my pre-planning OCD compulsions

Looking forward to 4 more months of planning! BRING IT ONNNNNNN!