*******Official August 2017 Countdown Thread ~ Feeling hot, hot, hot!!!******

[Tomh]

Back to food. New TS restaurants we are trying this trip are: Ohana (dinner), Boatwright's, Crystal Palace (dinner), Biergarten, BOG (dinner). Some new QS that we hope to try are: Yak & Yeti Quick Service, Satu'li Canteen, Lotus Blossom Café, Riverside Mill food court and Flame Tree BBQ.

Our repeat TS reservations are for Ohana breakfast, Raglan Road and Sci-Fi Dine-in. Our QS that my kids insist on are Katsura Grill and Pinocchio Village.

I am looking forward to trying new ones this time.

Love 'Ohana dinner. Crystal Palace dinner was good, not a favorite though. Biergarten reminded me of my grandmothers cooking when I was a kid. I think I never really realized how much of what she made was German food. Yak & Yeti quick service is good stuff. Like the Lotus Blossom Cafe', it is a favorite lunch for me. Riverside Mill . . . . the whole family loves the make your own pasta station. I am absolutely addicted to Flame Tree BBQ lol.

 

[Dug720]

New to me food-wise (at least scheduled for now)...
Garden Grill dinner
Boma dinner (have done breakfast)
Skipper Canteen
Bongos (hard to count this one as I've been to sister restaurant Larios on the Beach in Miami Beach and will have been to Estefan Kitchen in Miami - but still, Bongos is new)
San Angel Inn lunch

Returning faves...
Tusker House breakfast (this *could* change to lunch when/if ROL packages come out...lunch would be new)
1900 Park Fare breakfast (though it's been years) OR Crystal Palace breakfast (if I can get an earlier time than I have right now)
Cape May Cafe breakfast
BOG lunch (subject to change...still looking for dinner and if I get that lunch will be dropped)
'Ohana breakfast

As always, subject to change. LOL.

 

[Dug720]

Aaaaaaand I have changed to POP. Maybe crazy with the room renos going on, but it's saving me another $50 or so.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

Aaaaaaand I have changed to POP. Maybe crazy with the room renos going on, but it's saving me another $50 or so.

We're staying at POP this August too. Partly to save money and partly because we love it

 

[Tomh]

New to me food-wise (at least scheduled for now)...
Garden Grill dinner

We've done this a couple of times. I enjoyed it. Not a favorite, but a nice meal none the less.

Returning faves...
1900 Park Fare breakfast (though it's been years) OR Crystal Palace breakfast (if I can get an earlier time than I have right now)

I really enjoy both of those breakfasts. There is just something about starting the day with an on site breakfast before the park opens.

Cape May Cafe breakfast
BOG lunch (subject to change...still looking for dinner and if I get that lunch will be dropped)
'Ohana breakfast

Never done Cape May, or 'Ohana for breakfast, so do let us know what you think.
I'm probably in the minority here, but I honestly didn't care a whole lot for BOG. The atmosphere is wonderful, but for the most part, my taste in food is pretty simple, and most of what they offer there was a bit over the top for me.

 

[Dug720]

We've done this a couple of times. I enjoyed it. Not a favorite, but a nice meal none the less.


I really enjoy both of those breakfasts. There is just something about starting the day with an on site breakfast before the park opens.


Never done Cape May, or 'Ohana for breakfast, so do let us know what you think.
I'm probably in the minority here, but I honestly didn't care a whole lot for BOG. The atmosphere is wonderful, but for the most part, my taste in food is pretty simple, and most of what they offer there was a bit over the top for me.

Cape May and 'Ohana are two favorites.

I remember doing lunch at BOG once before the ADR thing started and I was already annoyed that we had to wait in line because my sister said we HAD to. So I feel like I should give it another chance. I would prefer dinner though - and may end up letting the lunch go. Just have to figure out where to eat my bigger meal that day instead.

This will be my first time eating at the World since going gluten-free though. So in that sense everything will be new.

 

[Dug720]

Woohoo!!! I managed to click the link Touring Plans sent me fast enough and got my BOG dinner back!!!! Not my ideal night as it involved changing a couple of plans around, but...

So as of now plans are...

8/18 arrive at Pop in the morning - Epcot, Garden Grill dinner
8/19 MK, 1900 Park Fare breakfast (maybe), BOG dinner
8/20 MK, Crystal Palace breakfast (maybe), Skipper Canteen dinner with a friend
8/21 DS, dinner at Bongos...MAYBE going to Studios for Fantasmic
8/22 Epcot, Cape May breakfast
8/23 AK
8/24 AK one of these days will be breakfast/lunch at Tusker House hopefully with a ROL pkg if they ever release them, the other will be dinner at Boma
8/25 Epcot, San Angel Inn lunch...if they ever release the MNSSHP dates and 8/25 is the first, I plan to hit that; if not, close the vacation with Illuminations
8/26 sad day, breakfast at 'Ohana and maybe over to DS for a bit before the Tragical Express at 3:30.

My one dilemma is that first AK day is evening EMH at MK, and I had wanted to do that. BUT I want BOG dinner and my friend can only meet me on Sunday as she teaches and they are back in school by then. I'll keep a search on for BOG dinner for 8/23 and if I snag that, I'll change the 20th back to AK. If it remains as is, I'm 99% sure that the 23rd will be Boma dinner and the 24th will be Tusker breakfast with a ROL package as 8/22 is evening EMH at Epcot so I'll be out late that night. Of course I could do lunch at Tusker on the 23rd... What are your thoughts on breakfast vs. lunch at Tusker House? (I know people try to do the overlap thing to get both, and that's what I would have done a year ago, but since I'm now gluten-free I'd rather stick with one or the other so I'm not bothering someone during the busy change over time about what is safe.)

 

[hsmamainva]

Never been to Tusker House for lunch but their breakfast is YUMMY!!!!! And the folks there are very accommodating. I went there once gluten free and they had so many options! They even had a separate buffet table with gluten free donuts, muffins, etc.

 

[TJDisneymama]

Cape May and 'Ohana are two favorites.

I remember doing lunch at BOG once before the ADR thing started and I was already annoyed that we had to wait in line because my sister said we HAD to. So I feel like I should give it another chance. I would prefer dinner though - and may end up letting the lunch go. Just have to figure out where to eat my bigger meal that day instead.

This will be my first time eating at the World since going gluten-free though. So in that sense everything will be new.

@Dug720 we'll be there the same week as you and it will also be our Bday celebration. It's the first time we'll ever be in WDW ON our actual b-days, so I'm super excited. Both mine and DDs.......

 

[TJDisneymama]

So, our plans. I'm planning a more relaxed trip than usual since its just DD10 and I. We don't do thrill rides like when DS is with us so we don't have to worry about rushing around to get all the big rides in. I want to do a more laid back trip, especially with it being August as I HATE being out in the heat -- (normally go in April and even that is too hot for me). So, a lot of taking in the scenery from shady benches, we'll be bringing the Hidden Mickeys book. A lot of strolling around the World Showcase shops, we're going to do the Passport book there....probably meeting more characters, which ODS never wants to do. More swim time at the resort.....as much as I like the planning everything and staying busy down to the minute that we normally do, I think I will enjoy this a lot. Im still doing our touring plans with the order of each attraction, but leaving a lot more time between for rests, unexpected characters meets, etc.

8/19 - arrive at POR, hang at the resort for the evening, early to bed
8/20 - MK at rope drop, BoG for dinner (my bday), probably resort for evening swim
8/21 - EP at rope drop, Rose & Crown for dinner, probably resort for evening swim
8/22 - Resort/swim in the morning, lunch at POR, head to HS for evening. H&V for dinner
8/23 - 1900 Park Fare for breakfast. Resort/swim day OR Disney Springs, will decide then. AK for evening and Tusker House ROL (hopefully) dinner
8/24 - MK late morning, BBB at noon (DD's bday), CRT for dinner, stay for evening fireworks
8/25 - Home

 

[Dug720]

@Dug720 we'll be there the same week as you and it will also be our Bday celebration. It's the first time we'll ever be in WDW ON our actual b-days, so I'm super excited. Both mine and DDs.......

Technically my day is in July, but I am hitting WDW within the "birthday month"!

 

[Dug720]

We appear to be getting closer to ROL dining packages!! August is now clickable on the calendar... But things aren't loaded yet to actually book. Sometimes it says "Call to book" but people on dining have reported that they can't book on the phone yet either.

Now to decide... Tusker House breakfast or lunch????? (Leaning towards breakfast since I have Boma for dinner one night...)

 

[Mbuksa]

Joining in this thread. I was originally booked for October, but schedules changed and now going 8/16/-23. Staying at POP. This is my first summer at Disney, it will definitely be hot, but I think I can handle the heat. Lol

 

[hsmamainva]

Dates for August are up for the ROL packages but nothing is available. So they just haven't unlocked them yet. I checked every date in our week and nothing. Was hoping they would allow you to book them after 6am. Nothing. So we're still waiting....and waiting....and waiting....

 

[Dug720]

Dates for August are up for the ROL packages but nothing is available. So they just haven't unlocked them yet. I checked every date in our week and nothing. Was hoping they would allow you to book them after 6am. Nothing. So we're still waiting....and waiting....and waiting....

Yep. Though the fact that the dates are clickable now is hopeful that soon!!!

 

[Mbuksa]

Any ideas when they might be able to book. Or... just keep checking everyday??

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

Has anyone stayed late at AK to see the lights on the Tree of Life? Last August we wanted to see it, but were just too tired and had to leave. This August, we are making sure we can stay around for it. If the park closes at 9:30pm, how long does the light show stay on? What time does it start? Is there music with it? Just kind of curious as to what it really is. Any info would be appreciated. TIA

 

[MeghanEmily]

Has anyone stayed late at AK to see the lights on the Tree of Life? Last August we wanted to see it, but were just too tired and had to leave. This August, we are making sure we can stay around for it. If the park closes at 9:30pm, how long does the light show stay on? What time does it start? Is there music with it? Just kind of curious as to what it really is. Any info would be appreciated. TIA

I don't remember about times for when it started and ended, so maybe someone else can give you more info on that. In December it started around sundown I think, but that will be a lot later in summer, so not sure. But yes, there was music that coordinated with the different videos projected onto the tree. They're short and there are lots of different little stories. The colors are beautiful! It's an easy kind of thing to catch whenever you're walking by because it's not too long between shows and people come and go. But you can only see the projections from the front of the tree, not all sides.

 

[Dug720]

Any ideas when they might be able to book. Or... just keep checking everyday??

Just keep checking
Just keep checking
That's what we do - we check, check, check!

 

[TJDisneymama]

hoping we can get it booked today or tomorrow!! Im only interested in TH dinner as we won't be arriving to AK until about 5 pm. We would skip AK altogether except that I want to check out Pandora.