Inspire me! - Think I got it worked out. Sanity check please :)

Cafeen

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Jul 24, 2009
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Ok, let's lay the base line. Traveling from 9/22 - 10/01. Arriving around noon, leaving around 5:30pm (so ME pickup around 2:30pm). Mom will be joining me from 9/22 (evening) through 9/26 (no dining plan for her).

Staying at POR (most likely) with DxDDP (for me). Hoping to attend MNSSHP on Fri 9/23 if the current calendar is correct. (Also will be attending the Tue 9/27, again if the calendar is currently correct).

So, with all that said, looking for some more ideas for places I may not have thought of.

So far, the "must dos" are:
Boma (D) (both)
Via Napoli (L/D) (me)
Le Cellier (D) (me)
Jiko (D) (both)
Citrico's (D) (me)
Hacienda de San Angel (D) (both, illuminations)

Also considering:
CG (D) (both) (not much interest solo here, but it's a possibility)
CRT (L/D MNSSHP night) (both)

Looking for suggestions for both when I'm on my own (did a solo trip last year, so good with that) and when Mom is around. Just throw them out for me to consider. My mind is drawing a complete blank beyond what I've noted. (Also, I'm not a big breakfast eater, so prefer lunch/dinner)

Tentative Itinerary looks like (yes, we'll have hoppers, and access to a car if needed):
Thu 9/22 - Travel (Me @ Epcot for a short while)
- Arrive @ noonish - CS Epcot (Cantina again most likely)
- Mom arrive @ 5:30ish - Jiko dinner

9/23
- @ DHS until 3ish
- Plaza for Late Lunch/Early Dinner
- MNSSHP @ night

9/24
- MK

9/25
- EP
- Hacienda @ 8-8:30pm for Illuminations

9/26
- AK
- Tusker House breakfast
- Boma dinner @ 5:30-6pmish
- Mom to leave after dinner
- PM EMH @ DHS

9/27
- Late Morning to 3pm open
- MNSSHP @ night

9/28
- HS (can leave early, not a huge fan of DHS, merely a photo day)
- PM EMH @ EP

9/29
- AM EMH @ MK
- Switch to EP for/after lunch (or not /shrug)

9/30
- AM EMH @ AK

10/1
- AM @ EP
- ME @ ~2:30pm

Now, normally I'm good at this puzzle, but I feel like I'm missing pieces this time. Have plenty of time before ADR date (3/26), so it's not like I have to rush.. but want something in place that I can play with ahead of time.
 
I like your choices so far. I would suggest trying Chefs de France for lunch (on your last day?) and Kouzzina, Kona or Flying Fish for dinner. Grand Floridian Cafe is also enjoyable for lunch.
I'd also suggest keeping Citrico's. It's a very enjoyable experience for dinner.
 
I would suggest The Wave for lunch or dinner on one of your MK days. Really interesting and fresh food. The dessert samplers are a lot of fun too.
 
Ok, let's lay the base line. Traveling from 9/22 - 10/01. Arriving around noon, leaving around 5:30pm (so ME pickup around 3:30pm). Mom will be joining me from 9/22 (evening) through 9/26 (no dining plan for her).

Just an fyi, DME will be scheduled to pick you up 3 hours prior to your flight home, so around 230pm. Hope that helps with your planning!
 

We like to eat at the Plaza the nights of the Halloween parties. Its good, quick and it pretty reasonable in price.
We also liked Garden Grill and Nine Dragons at Epcot. I know some people will disagree but that makes us getting ADRs easier..:thumbsup2
Mama Melrose is pretty much the only place we eat at when at DHS. It's not our favorite parks so we don't spend a lot of time there.
At AK- we love Tusker House. It's different but not over the top too weird to try different..;)
We haven't tried too many different resort places. We usually eat at the parks or whatever resort we are staying. Last year we stayed at CSR so we ate at Maya-which is pretty good.
Don't forget to eat DTD. There are some good places there as well.
Good luck..let me know if you would like some more details from any of the places I have suggested.
 
I like your choices so far. I would suggest trying Chefs de France for lunch (on your last day?) and Kouzzina, Kona or Flying Fish for dinner. Grand Floridian Cafe is also enjoyable for lunch.
I'd also suggest keeping Citrico's. It's a very enjoyable experience for dinner.
I checked out the Kona menu, at least for dinner there's nothing listed that I'll eat :(, but Chefs and FF look good, and Kouzzina looks particular yummy. I did love Citrico's last year, one of the best desserts I had all week was there (Warm Banana Torte is delicious).


I would suggest The Wave for lunch or dinner on one of your MK days. Really interesting and fresh food. The dessert samplers are a lot of fun too.
The Wave looks like a real contender, heard very good things and the menu looks quite good

Just an fyi, DME will be scheduled to pick you up 3 hours prior to your flight home, so around 230pm. Hope that helps with your planning!
Yup, you're right ><. I was thinking 2hrs domestic, 3hrs international, but it's 3 and 4. Thanks for the heads up!

We like to eat at the Plaza the nights of the Halloween parties. Its good, quick and it pretty reasonable in price.
We also liked Garden Grill and Nine Dragons at Epcot. I know some people will disagree but that makes us getting ADRs easier..:thumbsup2
Mama Melrose is pretty much the only place we eat at when at DHS. It's not our favorite parks so we don't spend a lot of time there.
At AK- we love Tusker House. It's different but not over the top too weird to try different..;)
We haven't tried too many different resort places. We usually eat at the parks or whatever resort we are staying. Last year we stayed at CSR so we ate at Maya-which is pretty good.
Don't forget to eat DTD. There are some good places there as well.
Good luck..let me know if you would like some more details from any of the places I have suggested.
Plaza is a VERY good suggestion for that MNSSHP night (well, the first one :p), fits the bill nicely as it's a bit lighter, definitely less expensive, relatively quick, and right there in MK. (In fact, I think that's going to be the plan!)

GG and Nine Dragons are good suggestions. DTD, I simply don't know how things are there :p. I haven't ever been there (well, except for WAY back when on my last couple little trips growing up).

MM will be added to the list of possibilities, brother went there in 2009 and they enjoyed it.

Tusker House has already been added for my AK morning :). We did this last year and it was great, so may as well repeat right?

Thanks everyone so far and keep them coming :).
 
I don't know your personal tastes, but here are a few random suggestions:

For you & mom on 9/23, since you're looking at an early MK area dinner that's easier on mom's oop budget, how about taking the monorail to Contempo Cafe at CR? For a CS location they have some more interesting choices, made fresh. Or if she really wants a TS meal, the Grand Floridian Cafe. I'd save the 'high end' meal (CRT/CG/Citricos) for the non-MNSSHP night.

Solo meals for you - since you say you are not so much a breakfast person, you can 'afford' more 2-credit dinners. How about Flying Fish on the Boardwalk? And since several of your listed choices are on the spicy side, how about Boatwrights (maybe followed by an evening in the lounge for Bob Jackson's show)? Tusker House lunch/dinner? Maya at CSR? Heck, Pepper Market at CSR?
 
Ok, typed this up once already, but my new keyboard is bugged and it hit the close window command on me (spacebar has a tendency to hit Alt as well...) :(. So, here we go again...

Think I've gotten most of the puzzle worked out. As posted in the initial post trip details are:

  • Me: 9/22 - 10/01 on DxDDP @ POR - Flying into MCO @ 11:30am, out at 5:30pm
  • Mom: 9/22 - 9/26, OOP - Driving in (She lives about 1.5hr away).


The MNSSHP dates are derived based on the Disney Travel Agents Operating Calender. Of course, they may change, but that's ok, I can cross that bridge if I come to it. All dining hours are "ideal" and not exact, since ADRs for this trip have not yet opened.


  • 9/22 (Thu) (Arrival, me @ 11:30, Mom @ 5:30)
    Lunch - CS in EP, probably Cantina again @ 1pm
    Dinner - Jiko @ 7pm
  • 9/23 (Fri) (DHS in AM, MNSSHP in PM)
    Lunch - Mama Melrose @ 11:30am
    Dinner - Plaza @ 5pm
  • 9/24 (Sat) (MK - Wishes @ 9pm)
    Lunch - CS (Pecos likely)
    Dinner - Narcoossee's @ 7:30pm
  • 9/25 (Sun) (EP - Illuminations @ 9pm)
    Lunch - Coral Reef @ 11:30am
    Dinner - Hacienda @ 8pm
  • 9/26 (Mon) (AK, Me: DHS PM EMH)
    Breakfast - Tusker House @ 8am
    Dinner - Boma @ 5:30pm
  • 9/27 (Tue) (EP in AM/Late AM, MNSSHP in PM)
    Lunch - San Angel Inn @ 11:30am
    Dinner - The Wave @ 5pm
  • 9/28 (Wed) (HS in Am/Late AM, EP PM EMH)
    Lunch - Open (CS in DHS or TS in EP Resorts)
    Dinner - Flying Fish @ 7pm
  • 9/29 (Thu) (MK AM EMH, EP in PM)
    Lunch - Grand Floridian Cafe @ 11:30am
    Dinner - Le Cellier @ 7pm
  • 9/30 (Fri) (AK AM EMH, MNSSHP in PM)
    Lunch - Tusker House @ 11:30am
    Dinner - Citrico's @ 5:30pm
  • 10/01 (Sat) (AM in EP, ME @ ~2:30)
    Breakfast - Open (Sunshine Seasons maybe?)
    Lunch - Marrakesh @ 11:30am


This leaves me with 4 unused credits, which shouldn't be an issue (81% of credits are spent at TS, so matematically I'll be ahead even without spending them at all). As far as the touring plan, once I'm solo I can trim out some EMHs if needed, so not too concerned about that, plus I'm a night owl combined with an early riser at Disney. (Not so much an early riser outside of Disney though :p).

So, yup, comments/concerns/things I didn't think of are more than welcome :). As is a new keyboard...
 












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