Need DL Vet expert advice!

[littleprincessmom]

Hi "y'all!"

We are WDW vets (17 trips and counting) but are making our first DL trip in November to surprise my DD for her 9th birthday! My mom has wanted to go to DL since she was a child and we are all so excited.

DD 9 loves all things pirate as well as scavenger hunts and anything artistic and/or historical - she is an old little soul! She isn't into princesses at all but loves drawing the characters, museums, history, etc. At age 9, she is also a "foodie" (we've ruined her!) (Don't worry...DD6 is completely normal, Hannah Montana crazed, cheerleader/soccer player, video crazed child - hard to believe they've grown up in the same home!)

At WDW, there is a Family Fun Tour that runs a scavenger hunt through the park. This was DD9s favorite event ever. Is there anything similar at DL?

We are staying at DLH and are planning to eat at Napa Rose, Steakhouse 55, Hook's Pointe, Goofy's Kitchen and Blue Bayou. Any other restaurants that are "must dos"?

Any third party services that do special "surprises" in DL (several in orlando) that would be appropriate to handle a birthday surprise?

Any recommendations for a basket or surprise for our room when we arrive - we are picking her up from school, driving to Atlanta and boarding a plane for CA! She has no idea!

Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[Disneylvrforever]

For scavenger hunts, there's a tour called Discover the Magic Tour which I expect is like your WDW tour. I've never done this one (too old) but it looks like fun. http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/tours/detail?name=DiscoverTheMagicTourPage

If your DD9 likes historical stuff, then you should def go to the Opera House and see things from DL's youth. There's also the 50 First Magical Years movie that's inside there too starring Steve Martin and Donald Duck.

Innoventions might be interesting to your DD6. Since she likes Hannah Montana, there a little place there that ppl can sing karoke and if you're going to DCA, you can also do that at Disney Animation. But at Innoventions, there's also a lot of video games and things like that on the 2nd level.

The restaurants that you're going to sounds good! Storyteller's Cafe at the GCH is also a really good place to eat. I love their buffets and they also have a character breakfast. Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in DTD is also yummy and they have a band that plays in the evenings.

I'm not an expert on 3rd party services or gift baskets, bc I've never had them done, but there's plenty of Diser's that have this expertise.
HTH!

 

[littleprincessmom]

Thanks so much!

The tour was exactly what I was looking for! Have any other DISers out there done the Discover the Magic Tour at DL? If so, can you tell me if it is pirate themed like the Family Fun Tour at WDW?

Between Storyteller's Cafe and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, which would you choose? Are they playing music at RBJK? It would be probably be for dinner...we aren't big breakfast eaters and like to stay in the parks during lunch.

thank you again!!!