Help...we're new!

[renny]

Hi everyone

I'm really happy to have found this amazingly busy forum.
Myself and my wife are taking our eight year old daughter to WDW next May (2011) for a much anticipated, and long saved for trip, and would really like to call on your collective experience to make the most of it. What we were wondering was...

1. What would be your no 1 special experience for an eight year old girl?
2. Which restaurants and times would you recommend as being best placed to see the parades and fireworks?
3. Are there any places best avoided?
4. Is there anywhere to eat which we absolutely, positively must visit?

I know this is ten months away but as it's a once in a lifetime trip, we want to make sure we make the best of our time.

Thanks so much. Look forward to hearing from you all.

 

[hsembrick]

Hi everyone

I'm really happy to have found this amazingly busy forum.
Myself and my wife are taking our eight year old daughter to WDW next May (2011) for a much anticipated, and long saved for trip, and would really like to call on your collective experience to make
the most of it. What we were
wondering was...

1. What would be your no 1 special
   experience for an eight year old
   girl? Bippitty bopitty boutique and then maybe dinner at Cinderellas royal table
2. Which restaurants and times
   would you recommend as being
   best placed to see the parades
   and fireworks? I would do a late dinner at the plaza.
3. Are there any places best
   avoided? Not really, my one bit of advice is to get to the parks at rope drop you can get more done in the first few hrs of opening then any other time.
4. Is there anywhere to eat which
   we absolutely, positively must
   visit? I would do Chef Mickeys, Cinderellas Royal Table, Tony's, 1900 park fare. These are a few of my DD8's favorite spots

I know this is ten months away but
as it's a once in a lifetime trip, we
want to make sure we make the
best of our time.

Thanks so much. Look forward to
hearing from you all.

Don't forget to Make a profile at disneyworld.com and enter your dates you are likely to get a pin to use for your reservation that will save you a lot of money. We are going next month with free dining and it is saving us $600!!

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Hi everyone

I'm really happy to have found this amazingly busy forum.
Myself and my wife are taking our eight year old daughter to WDW next May (2011) for a much anticipated, and long saved for trip, and would really like to call on your collective experience to make the most of it. What we were wondering was...

1. What would be your no 1 special experience for an eight year old girl?
2. Which restaurants and times would you recommend as being best placed to see the parades and fireworks?
3. Are there any places best avoided?
4. Is there anywhere to eat which we absolutely, positively must visit?

I know this is ten months away but as it's a once in a lifetime trip, we want to make sure we make the best of our time.

Thanks so much. Look forward to hearing from you all.

Congratulations on your first trip!!

What would be your no 1 special experience for an eight year old girl?

I would have to say, hands down, the Bippity Boppity Botique, where they will dress her up like a princess (if she's the princess type!) You'll need to make reservations for this experience!

Which restaurants and times would you recommend as being best placed to see the parades and fireworks?

Ohanas to me, is the best restaurant to watch the fireworks, it's at the Polynisian Resort across the bay from the Magic Kingdom. The California Grill is another great Restaurant too, but not as much fun as Ohanas, which is very festive. I don't know of any restaurant at MK that you can watch the parade or fireworks from?

Are there any places best avoided?
Can't think of any off the top of my head!

Is there anywhere to eat which we absolutely, positively must visit?

Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort is a character restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner. A lot of people like to bring their children there. My favorite though, is Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom....it's also a character restaurant, only it's at the Magic Kingdom, and the food is pretty decent too....they have all the Winnie the Poo Characters there that visit the tables.

Hope this helps some!

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

I'd eat at Tusker House Safari breakfast & Crystal Palace. Also, Ohana's at the Poly. Those are so fun & good! I love Coral Reef & LeCellier too.

I'd stay onsite. If a value resort is in the budget...POP is a good choice.

When my grandkids went, ages 4 & 7 they loved the doing their hair, etc at the Bippitty bopitty boutique and then they ate at Cinderellas royal table. And they worn their princess dresses all day. The photos were so cute!

Rope drop, prepurchase photo CD & a plan are some hints I give for a fun trip. The better plan you have the easier the day goes & you see so much more w/o running around wasting time.

Have fun!

 

[cjemscott]

1. What would be your no 1 special experience for an eight year old girl?
2. Which restaurants and times would you recommend as being best placed to see the parades and fireworks?
3. Are there any places best avoided?
4. Is there anywhere to eat which we absolutely, positively must visit?

1. I only have boys but always get jealous of the little girls coming out of Bibbity Bobbity Boutique!!! If she likes princesses then that's a must! The breakfast at Epcot's Akershus Banquet Hall - Princess Storybook Dining...all the princesses and some princes.

2. We ate at Paris a couple of years ago at Epcot and had a great view of the fire show.

3. I would suggest going to one of the touring plans and following it - We have had excellent luck with those the last couple of years! www.touringplans.com or www.tourguidemike.com

4. I would hit any character meals - you get autographs and pics with characters without waiting in line - so much easier! Our favorites are Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace.

Have fun planning and it may seem like forever away, but it will come fast!

 

[MHSweb79]

You should buy a guidebook: Unofficial Guide if you are up to devouring 800 pages of pure Disney bliss; or Birnbaum's Disney for Kids if you just want to figure out what your daughter will like and get a good overview of the World.

Those books, and these boards, will really help you prepare for your trip. Enjoy the planning!

 

[j9000]

1. What would be your no 1 special experience for an eight year old girl?
2. Which restaurants and times would you recommend as being best placed to see the parades and fireworks?
3. Are there any places best avoided?
4. Is there anywhere to eat which we absolutely, positively must visit?

4 the dole whip stand in adventure land, its one of the few things that is (almost) exclusive to Disney US parks, (dole whip is only available at the magic kingdom, disneyland and the dole plantation in hawaii)

 

[cyb]

The best place to eat is Ohanas, it's very interactive with the kids and you have a good view of the fireworks.

 

[Nebula]

1. What would be your no 1 special experience for an eight year old girl?
2. Which restaurants and times would you recommend as being best placed to see the parades and fireworks?
3. Are there any places best avoided?
4. Is there anywhere to eat which we absolutely, positively must visit?

1) A character meal at Cinderella's Royal Table would probably be a winner! But also the character meals at Akershus (princesses) and 1900 Park Fare (not sure which is which, but one meal has Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland, the other has Cinderella, Fairy Godmother and the Stepmother and stepsisters).

4) Everyone has their own must-dos, and what is a must for me may be a must-don't for someone else. That being said, here are my favorites:

Magic Kingdom - Breakfast with Pooh and friends at Crystal Palace, a hot dog at Casey's, and a Dole Float at Aloha Isle.

Epcot - Dinner at Le Cellier, a visit to Tangierene Cafe in Morocco and Sunshine Seasons (both are fabulous counter service locations), and some shaved ice at Kaki Gori. And while this obviously isn't a choice for your daughter, a margarita in Mexico is always a plus for me! Something that is fun to do is to get a little snack in each country

Rose and Crown is also a great place to watch IllumiNations.

Animal Kingdom - I've only ever eaten at Flametree Barbecue, but it has some very good food. It's an excellent counter service location.

DHS - I'm not wild about any restaurants here, but Fairfax Fare (counter service) has some excellent food! For table service, we like Mama Melrose's.

In the resorts, I'm a huge fan of Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club. I love the all you can eat seafood, but they also have a character breakfast that I've heard many good things about. My extended family also does the Hoop Dee Do Revue at Fort Wilderness every trip. I had my first visit there in March. The food is decent and the humor is VERY corny. Most kids love it.

I would recommend buying the Unofficial Guide to get ideas about what you and your family would like. I hope your trip is as magical as can be!