May 2011: The kids are getting 3rd visit surprise! Now w/pics!

[KatMark]

Happy Mother's Day (a little early)!!!!

 

[Becc1]

That's too funny about the cookie cake. We have a problem with fingers slipping on b-day cakes too so it has become a joke in the house that I have to take a picture of the cake as soon as it comes in the house because by the time it's ready to eat it there will have been an incident, lol. On Emily's first birthday we had this beautiful cake that Ben took a serving spoon to before it was cake time It's funny now but at the time I probably cried

 

[Lidian]

Happy Mother's Day (a little early)!!!!

Awww! Thank you!

Happy Early Mother's Day to you as well! Hope you have a super day tomorrow!!

That's too funny about the cookie cake. We have a problem with fingers slipping on b-day cakes too so it has become a joke in the house that I have to take a picture of the cake as soon as it comes in the house because by the time it's ready to eat it there will have been an incident, lol. On Emily's first birthday we had this beautiful cake that Ben took a serving spoon to before it was cake time It's funny now but at the time I probably cried

I've had to pull my kids fingers out of cake before as well. In March, DS was already licking the icing off his (requested) cookie cake before we even arrived at Granny's (where we celebrated his and her birthday). He grabbed a big fingerful at the mall when we showed him the cookie cake.

That's funny that Ben dived into Emily's first birthday cake extra early!

 

[Lidian]

I am really stressing out here because we've made several changes. I could really use some advice and your thoughts.

Here's the deal:
Since DH has agreed to add in MK on arrival day, it has really put our ADRs into a mess. Originally, we were going to go to DTD for dinner, but I want to hit MK after DH takes a nap and the kids and I grab a swim. So if we arrive "on schedule", I'd like for us to be at the MK around 4pm. I can't get a dinner ADR at MK. (Well, there may be one available late in the evening, but I need to be planted in a spot to see MSEP, since it is not showing on our regular MK day.)

EDIT: We are on the DDP and will have 5 TS credits we need to use.

Monday we have 50s PTC. I don't want to try to add a lunch ADR because we only have one day at DHS. I really want to focus on the park as much as possible and then try to catch Fantasmic!

Tuesday is our free day. I promised DH he could sleep in, so after we get up and grab a snack, we'll probably hit the pool all day. We'll have lunch on the resort and swim more. Late afternoon, we'll head to DTD for window shopping and dinner ADR at WGP.

Wednesday is MK day. It has been confirmed that we will be meeting WoW friends this day, so our touring will probably be a bit slower since we'll have two additional adults in the group. I'm apprehensive about adding a lunch ADR (if one is available) on this day for two reasons: 1) it will take time away from touring and I don't know if WoW friends will slow us down already and 2) I don't know what their financial situation is and I don't want to assume they can afford to eat 2 TS meals this day.

Thursday is EP day. Again, we'll be meeting up with WoW friends. Same reasons as above for not wanting to consider a lunch ADR - but mostly reason #2 - since we will hit EP again on Saturday.

Friday is AK day. I tried for a Tusker breakfast (no availability). I don't know if WoW friends will join us or not. However, I am planning as if they aren't, since they haven't given me a definite. If they decide to join us later, they can grab a CS meal or something if I have an ADR in place. I don't care for Tusker or Y&Y lunch/dinner menu, RFC is not on DDP, and I don't want to be tied to an ADR that will slow us down from getting to our new hotel after we're done touring AK (ie booking one at another resort). Since its our only AK day, I don't want to book a breakfast somewhere else and miss out on arriving close to RD.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where I can add an ADR?

I've tried every DDP TS restaurant for Sunday night (and can't try lunch, since we could arrive anywhere between 10am and 4pm, depending on traffic, how many stops we make, etc). I can't assume that the WoW friends can afford more than the 2 TS meals I've planned with them - plus, the few places I did check did not have availability. I really don't want to miss much time in the parks because of ADRs. And even though we aren't heading home until Sunday, our last day to use DDP is Friday. (I can't ask my WoW friends if they could afford another TS, as they are out of town until late next week.)

I could really use some brains to pick right now - especially since I have no one else I can bounce ideas off of.

I guess I could try to book something for all of us, and if they can't afford the meal, they could go eat CS and we check-in as a party of 4. But where?

TIA my wonderful, amazing friends!

 

[PixieMama]

Hmmmm...

Have you tried looking for a dinner ADR at one of the MK resorts? (for your arrival day) That way, you'd be close to MK, if you can't get anything in MK.

You could go ahead and make ADRs for just you guys on Wed and Thu... and tell your WoW pals "This is what we're doing for lunch/dinner, we'll meet up again after you guys eat". Would that work? Or like you mentioned, make the ADRs for all of you, and if they don't join you that's fine, you can just check in as a party of 4.

I have no ideas for Friday, if you don't care for lunch/dinner at TH or Y&Y. That's a tough one!

 

[Lidian]

Hmmmm...

Have you tried looking for a dinner ADR at one of the MK resorts? (for your arrival day) That way, you'd be close to MK, if you can't get anything in MK.

You could go ahead and make ADRs for just you guys on Wed and Thu... and tell your WoW pals "This is what we're doing for lunch/dinner, we'll meet up again after you guys eat". Would that work? Or like you mentioned, make the ADRs for all of you, and if they don't join you that's fine, you can just check in as a party of 4.

I have no ideas for Friday, if you don't care for lunch/dinner at TH or Y&Y. That's a tough one!

I thought about doing a dinner on the monorail, but I was really worried about going to MK, leaving, then coming back. I'd like to maximize my time there since we will probably arrive around 4pm to MK (if we arrive "on time" to the resort). I was afraid if I did a monorail dinner, we would have little to no park time, and if something went awry, we might miss MSEP.

We already have dinner ADRs for Wed/Thurs for the 6 of us (Tony's and Biergarten), so it would be an extra ADR on top of that - for lunch. So it would be taking away park time, even if it wasn't a financial issue for the WoW friends. And I'm sure that if I booked something and they couldn't afford it, they'd decline (I hope). The two ADRs we currently have, I've informed them where/when and where to look at menus with prices. The biggest reason I question finances is because one of the guys did ask for an estimate on how much cash to bring with him for just the two days (food and tips).

I kind of don't want to split us up if we don't have to, as both days, I already have booked experiences they can't tag along with (Storybook and TPL). So I don't want to feel like I'm ditching them constantly, especially since they are only going to WDW to hang out with us.

The backstory, I've known (online) my 2 WoW friends for years. They live in FL not far from the parks. When I mentioned our trip this year, one of them commented about taking vacation during that time as well. So after asking if we'd like company, I was ecstatic to meet up with these people. One has asked for a rough estimate on how much cash to bring for food, tips, parking. I gave links to restaurant menus with prices, explained that tip would be added to our checks at 18% because we're a party of 6, and pointed them in the direction for parking prices (since we'd be taking buses, I wasn't sure what parking would cost for them).

So I wasn't sure if they were asking about cash because they needed to budget for it, or was really just wanting to know how much cash to have because they're OCD like myself.

In honesty, I'm kind of thinking a lunch ADR at EP on Thursday ... but if they can't afford to join us, then I'd be ditching them at least twice that day. We have the Storybook Experience at 10:45am in Norway. Since it requires a voucher, they will have to find something else to do while our family enjoys it. (They are aware of Storybook and TPL and being ditched for them.)

But it kind of feels like if I do a lunch ADR and a dinner ADR that I'll do nothing but eat all day.

 

[KatMark]

I would keep trying at the MK. Something may come up at the Plaza or Liberty Tavern. Maybe I'm missing something, but is there a reason you can't just do a counter service at the MK (Cosmic Ray's?)?

 

[Lidian]

I would keep trying at the MK. Something may come up at the Plaza or Liberty Tavern. Maybe I'm missing something, but is there a reason you can't just do a counter service at the MK (Cosmic Ray's?)?

Oh, I'm sorry for not being clear. I'll edit the original post to state that we are on the DDP and need to use 5 TS credits or we lose one.

I've been trying all the MK restaurants that take DDP for arrival night, and will keep trying just in case (would love to snag a CP rez), but need a backup plan. Would hate to lose a credit if we can keep from it.

 

[lovethattink]

 

[Lidian]

Thank you!! Happy Mother's Day to you as well!!!!

 

[Becc1]

 

[Corrine 1973]

Unfortunatly, while you have several options none of them are ideal.

1. You can make additional ADR's for the days you are going to hang with your WoW friends and hope they have the money to join you.

2. Make ADR's as above and appologize to your friends that you will have to ditch them for a short time

3. As much as you would hate to loose any DAK time, make breakfast or early dinner reservations at Boma which is a short bus ride to DAK

4. Cut your loses and ask at the resorts front desk if you can transfer your TS credits to CS credits

I know that none of these ideas are ideal, but are the only options I can think of to help. Hopefully some one else will have a better idea. Good luck hun, and have a Happy Mothers Day.

 

[Lidian]

Thank you!! Happy Mother's Day to you as well!

Unfortunatly, while you have several options none of them are ideal.

1. You can make additional ADR's for the days you are going to hang with your WoW friends and hope they have the money to join you.

2. Make ADR's as above and appologize to your friends that you will have to ditch them for a short time

3. As much as you would hate to loose any DAK time, make breakfast or early dinner reservations at Boma which is a short bus ride to DAK

4. Cut your loses and ask at the resorts front desk if you can transfer your TS credits to CS credits

I know that none of these ideas are ideal, but are the only options I can think of to help. Hopefully some one else will have a better idea. Good luck hun, and have a Happy Mothers Day.

Corrine, I'm still at a loss. I don't want to waste much time in making a decision on something, but here's my thoughts.

1. I may make an additional ADR for 6 at Epcot. If they can't afford it, then we check-in as party of 4 and set a time to meet back up.

2. Yep. Like in #1.

3. We stick to Disney transportation when we're onsite. I would have been fine with Tusker since it is in AK (even though it would have cut into our AK time), but I realy don't want to drive to AKL and then deal with hoopla on getting to AK and back to our car - or any way you put it. DH is pretty strict about me stating we won't arrive anywhere earlier than 9am (which is RD time). I just don't know. And none of the breakfast options really sound good to me. I was just going for Tusker because of Donald (for the kids). I'm not much on breakfast anyway.

4. While this isn't ideal either, it may be an option as well. But I don't know if they will do that. I know when I asked in 2009 if there was anything I could do about the remaining credits I had (because I was sick and couldn't eat), the manager got pretty frustrated with me asking - she understood once I explained that I had sun poisoning and finally said that I could turn them into snack credits (I had 1 TS and 2 QS left), but I could only do that at the resort with her there to approve it. I stocked up on rice crispy treats.

I really think just making an extra ADR at Epcot will be our best bet. It's just frustrating that we'll be missing a good chunk of the day with the Storybook and 2 ADRs though. Sure, we get two days, but I dunno.

I'm just stressed and frustrated.

Thank you for the input.

 

[Moira222]

Happy Mother's Day!

I just read your ADR quandry. Not sure how helpful I can be -- I don't know all the details about the DXDP but had one or two ideas if thye are covered: I've read quite a few people doing a wishes dessert party - can you use DXDP for this? sounds like a Great way to see wishes and have some evening sweets.

I don't remember - are you eating at CRT or any of the signature restaurants? the HDDR is a blast if you can still get there.

I noticed no breakfast reservations on your spreadsheet -- or did you add some after you posted that? I am so far behind so just jumped to your links & skipped the conversation in between

(love the gallon of starbucks )

how did your salon visit turn out?

 

[Lidian]

Happy Mother's Day!

I just read your ADR quandry. Not sure how helpful I can be -- I don't know all the details about the DXDP but had one or two ideas if thye are covered: I've read quite a few people doing a wishes dessert party - can you use DXDP for this? sounds like a Great way to see wishes and have some evening sweets.

I don't remember - are you eating at CRT or any of the signature restaurants? the HDDR is a blast if you can still get there.

I noticed no breakfast reservations on your spreadsheet -- or did you add some after you posted that? I am so far behind so just jumped to your links & skipped the conversation in between

(love the gallon of starbucks )

how did your salon visit turn out?

Thank you!

We're just on the regular dining plan, not deluxe. And we'll have friends joining us for Wishes, so even if we were able to do the dessert party (which I don't think we can), we would have to pass.

We have no signature dining experiences - we have no interest for any this time around.

We don't have any breakfast rez's, but we're not really breakfast people. We'd have to do a late breakfast, then we'd be out a QS meal (lunch).

But maybe I could look for somewhere I could squeeze in a breakfast.

We don't have any evening we could schedule a dinner show because of the parks. Our only non-park day is our DTD day and we HAVE to eat at Wolfgang Pucks. It's DH's only request, so I better make sure we get it.

Salon visit turned out well. Not happy with the cut, but totally LOVE the color!!!

 

[jm106]

No food suggestions but I wanted to say- great minds think alike! We are also arriving 5/22, going to MK and have no ADR. We are going CS though, I want as much park time before everyone gets too tired. Then I see tuesday as a day for pool and that is the same day we have off. Must be the perfect plan

 

[Lidian]

No food suggestions but I wanted to say- great minds think alike! We are also arriving 5/22, going to MK and have no ADR. We are going CS though, I want as much park time before everyone gets too tired. Then I see tuesday as a day for pool and that is the same day we have off. Must be the perfect plan

Well, of course GMTA, we're on the DIS, chose the perfect week to go, and only have 13 more days!!!!

I think I'll do a lunch ADR on our first EP day. I'll make it for 6, and if they don't want to join us (or can't afford to), then we'll check-in at 4. I just hate that we're already "ditching" them so much because of other things ... but I don't want to waste a credit either.

Perhaps we'll bump into each other at MK or DTD if you'll be going there for the evening on Tuesday. Save us a seat for MSEP.

 

[Lidian]

Ready for another round? This one is about Mickey Ear Hats.

Which of the following Mickey Ear Hats have we purchased over the years?

A) Pirate Princess
B) Princess
C) Red Pants
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Do you (or kids) have any Mickey Ears? Which one(s) do you have? Did you get them personalized?

I, personally, do not have any Mickey ears. I spent all of 2009 searching for the PERFECT pair. I never found them. I glanced around in 2010, but never saw them either. I want a pair that yells my name. The whole room just stops when I turn to them. A light shines from the heavens above and choir music can be heard in the background.

...

Oh, sorry. Got a bit caught up in my daydream. No, seriously, I haven't found MY Mickey Ears yet. Perhaps 2011 is the year.

Sorry I've been busy and didn't get a chance to go over the answer. DD was sick this weekend, so I've been taking care of her.

Anyway, the answer is D) All of the above. DD has two sets of Mickey Ears and DS had one set. Her Princess one is embroidered. We bought it at the DTD Disney Store, and took it to the Christmas store for it to be embroidered. When he finished, he had mispelled her name. So he had to order another hat. I was VERY disappointed with this CM. To start, when we arrived, he was asleep!!! Then he spelled her name wrong and tried to blame us! I showed him very clearly that it was spelled correct on the form he had. Then he tried to fix it - it looked awful - and was upset with us that we weren't happy! I asked for a manager, who agreed to get a new hat and have it done correctly. When we came back a little bit later, the rude/sleepy CM was gone. Not sure if he was sent home or if his shift was over, but we were glad to not see him.

DS wore his Red Pants hat so much, that he actually wore it out. Well, that and the fact that he didn't take the best care of it.

Last year, at CBR, DD wanted the Pirate Princess ears and DH caved. (Are you shocked? )

 

[mtgirl29]

Sorry I've been busy and didn't get a chance to go over the answer. DD was sick this weekend, so I've been taking care of her.

Anyway, the answer is D) All of the above. DD has two sets of Mickey Ears and DS had one set. Her Princess one is embroidered. We bought it at the DTD Disney Store, and took it to the Christmas store for it to be embroidered. When he finished, he had mispelled her name. So he had to order another hat. I was VERY disappointed with this CM. To start, when we arrived, he was asleep!!! Then he spelled her name wrong and tried to blame us! I showed him very clearly that it was spelled correct on the form he had. Then he tried to fix it - it looked awful - and was upset with us that we weren't happy! I asked for a manager, who agreed to get a new hat and have it done correctly. When we came back a little bit later, the rude/sleepy CM was gone. Not sure if he was sent home or if his shift was over, but we were glad to not see him.

DS wore his Red Pants hat so much, that he actually wore it out. Well, that and the fact that he didn't take the best care of it.

Last year, at CBR, DD wanted the Pirate Princess ears and DH caved. (Are you shocked? )

Awww Shucks! Wrong again on the trivia!

Sorry to hear that DD was sick! How was your Mother's Day?? Haven't talk with you in ages!

That is awful that the CM was trying to blame you all. (hint hint to you and Corinne) What is this world coming, too? He was sleepy and grumpy are you sure he wasn't a Dwarf? I am glad the manager got it straightened out for you guys.

You and the fam will have to go to DTD to that shop, I was telling you about and get some customed made ears. Make sure to take LOTS of pics!!! I am sooo looking forward to your vacation! Can you tell???

 

[Corrine 1973]

I was right, I was right!!

I would have definalty wanted a new hat if they screwed up my DD's name. You deserve what you paid for. And at least when we blame you TK, we do it with sisterly love in our hearts.

I am also really looking foward to your trip and can't wait to see tons of pictures (hey I got one right and now I want my prize.) I am just a little sad that we wont be able to talk for 2 weeks since you now leave the day me and TK get down there.