****Official May 2012 Thread**** ALMOST TIME TO LEAVE!!

[Jessica527]

Feckless picked:

OK, here are my five top picks for our upcoming trip!

1. 'Ohana - Meat on a stick - what's not to love???? I am making a 6:30 reservation to give us time to head down to the Poly beach after for the electric water pageant and Wishes. They pipe in the music!

2. It WAS Tutto Italia, but I am being told that because of the planned refurb (supposed to be completed by the end of April) I won't be able to book an ADR for early May. So, my second is Biergarten. Sausages, German beer, oompa bands. And PRETZEL BREAD. Wear your David Hasslehoff t-shirts for extra special attention and service. LOL

3. Brown Derby Fantasmic Package. Booking for 7 for the 9:00 showing - hope that gives me enough time! We haven't seen Fantasmic.

4. Boma. African buffet + animals = WIN.

5. Crystal Palace breakfast for 8 a.m. when MK opens at 9 a.m. Can hardly wait for this experience!

I haven't eaten in any of these places but these are the ones that I am most excited about. Last trip we had ONE ADR, can you imagine? And we almost missed it. That was for Sci Fi cafe which the kids have requested that we do again. We also stumbled upon Tusker House for lunch - they had availability (in fact, the servers were coming out asking if anyone wanted to come in!!) and we had the best meal of our entire trip there. Sorry that we won't be back there, but we wanted to try some different things...

Looking forward to seeing everyone else's lists! I have to advise IPO in the next day or so because I'm traveling for work on November 3rd when my window opens.

Melanie

 

[mcever4]

Here are my 5 MUST do's! Staying at POFQ (unless a deal for an upgrade to CR comes out!) May 20-27.

1. Crystal Palace Breakfast (before park opening, hopefully!)
2. Tusker House Breakfast
3. Ohana's Dinner
4. 1900 Park Fare Dinner
5. Garden Grill

All of our meals will be Character Dining except Ohana's. This is DD's (3 at time of our trip) first trip, so we decided to go heavy on characters! It is actually like DH's first trip too since he hasn't been since he was 8!

I am counting down till Nov. 22 when I can make my ADR's!! Can't wait!!!

Robin

 

[Jessica527]

MickaMaizie says:

Our top 5 are:

1 Le Cellier Family favorite and Cheddar soup!

2 Bomo Staying a AKL so we have to eat here.

3 Earl of Sandwich Love the soup and any of their sandwiches.

4 Crystal Palace Our last night tradition.

5 Mama Melrose Fantasmic package.

 

[MVC1225]

We know we are going May 9th (late arrival) through May 13th (early departure) but not where we are staying. We are staying in one of the value resorts but waiting for Annual Pass room discounts to go up before booking. There will be three of us on the trip, me, my girlfriend (SashaFarce on the DisBoards), and her niece who is 2. It will be her niece's first trip to WDW and she is excited already.

The plan is to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table on the 10th (late breakfast so we can take advantage of Morning EMH), Tusker House on the 11th (early pre-park opening breakfast), and Crystal Palace on the 12th (dinner). Since we will be on the DDP we figured these will be easy to split with her since she can have her own plate at the two buffets and at CRT breakfast is Family Style.

 

[Jessica527]

Great options from Zhoen to my inbox....

Zhoen says:

I'm travelling with little ones, so we are hitting the classics--but at the same time, neither DH or I have ever done some of them. Our past trips have been CS-all-the-way... and travelling with little ones and the grandparents, I think we'll be doing a lot of CS again this time.

1- Birthday Breakfast for our princess with her biggest fans at the CRT
2- Birthday Dinner with Pooh and friends at CP
3- TRex at DD
4- Rainforest Cafe outside AK
5- TBD

We loved Le Cellier when we "discovered" it by accident 11 years ago... but with it being a signature restaurant now, we decided we didn't want to fuss with the crowds this time--and the menu's changed. I still make the strawberry salad we had there all those years ago

 

[Jessica527]

Top Choice so far (tied):
Crystal Palace - 7 Votes
Ohana - 7 Votes

Magic Kingdom:
Crystal Palace - 7 Votes
Cinderella's Royal Table - 3 Votes
Pecos Bill - 2 Votes
Tony's Town Square Restaurant - 1 Vote
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe - 1 Vote
Liberty Tree Tavern - 1 Vote


Epcot:
Le Cellier - 3 Votes
Coral Reef - 2 Votes
Tutto Italia Ristorante - 2 Votes
Rose & Crown - 1 Vote
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall - 1 Vote
Garden Grill - 1 Vote


Hollywood Studios:
50's Prime Time Cafe - 2 Votes
Sci Fi Dine In - 1 Vote
Brown Derby - 1 Vote
Mama Melrose - 1 Vote

Animal Kingdom:
Tusker House - 3 Votes
Flame Tree BBQ - 1 Vote
Pizzafari - 1 Vote
Rainforest Cafe - 1 Vote

Resorts:
Ohana (POLY) - 7 Votes
Boma (AK) - 3 Votes
California Grill (CR) - 1 Vote
Beaches and Cream (BC) - 1 Vote
Trails End Breakfast (WL) - 1 Vote
Flying Fish Dinner (BW) - 1 Vote
Grand Floridian Cafe (GF) - 1 Vote
1900's Park Fare - 1 Vote
Riverside Mill (POR) - 1 Vote

DTD:
Earl of Sandwich - 1 Vote
T-Rex - 1 Vote
Wolfgang Puck QS - 1 Vote

Shows:
Hoop de Doo Musical Review - 1 Vote

​

 

[Feckless]

Seems more real now! This is our full plan:

Day One: Arrive about 1 p.m. Biergarten reservation for 8 pm, hopefully with the extended family that is going with us.

Day Two: Epcot Day. I am planning all our park days to start early and end around lunchtime. If we have steam, we will hit another park later, but no biggie. ADR for Tutto Italia if available, otherwise Via Napoli at 7:15 pm.

Day Three: Resort Day. Cape May Cafe character breakfast for 9:30 a.m.

Day Four: Magic Kingdom Day. Crystal Palace ADR for 8:00 a.m. Park opens at 9, wanted to get in the park before it opens and hit rope drop.

Day Five: Resort Day, maybe after hitting the EMH at DHS if we are up. 'Ohana ADR for 6:30 pm so we can catch the electric water pageant (9) and Wishes (10) from the Poly beach.

Day Six: Universal Day. Making an ADR for the Captain's Grille for 8:30 pm just so we have an option (a close one) if we make it back.

Day Seven: Animal Kingdom Day. Boma dinner at 6 p.m.

Day Eight: Resort Day. Via Napoli 7 p.m. If we can't get Tutto, then maybe Marrakesh, or a restaurant on the Boardwalk. Also thinking about Teppan Edo.

Day Nine: DHS Day. Sci Fi Cafe lunch at 1 p.m. (kids' request!)

Day Ten: Resort Day. Fantasmic Package at Brown Derby to end the vacation. Fantasmic starts at 9. We've never seen it. Heard back from IPO that the reservation would be for 3:30, which is WAY too early for us to eat. So, we might just make the ADR at Brown Derby for 6:30 and join the regular hordes! It seems like Fantasmic is every night during our stay which should help control the crowds.

Of course we are so close to everything that we will probably pop into the various parks on our rest/resort days. I also might make a reservation for Saratoga Springs Spa... The boys are probably going to have a golf day as well, but I can't get them to decide on a course!

I think I'm going to start a PTR since this planning puts me in my happy place. I'll post the link when I start so that you can follow it!

 

[jesse0418]

I've heard rumors about Test Track being down for refurbishment late April-September(I think) Any know if this is true or not? I hope it's not as this is one of our favorite rides. It's bad enough Thunder Mountain will be down for refurbishment while we are there

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

What?Thunder Mountain is down in May too?

 

[MarkF0wle]

What?Thunder Mountain is down in May too?

Supposedly going down for a refurb from 9th January until 28th May. I'm irritated by the fact we leave on the 24th. Hoping for a speedier than anticipated project.

 

[Feckless]

I've heard rumors about Test Track being down for refurbishment late April-September(I think) Any know if this is true or not? I hope it's not as this is one of our favorite rides. It's bad enough Thunder Mountain will be down for refurbishment while we are there

I've heard that too! Those are my kids' two favourite rides so it will suck!

 

[Feckless]

FYI: IPO could not book Tutto Italia for our trip May 1st to 11th, even though the refurb is supposed to be completed by the end of April. So, if you have it on your list, move to Plan B!

 

[Tickanee]

My DH and I will be staying in a 2 bdrm villa at AKL - Kidani May 1-9 with our BFF's and their adult daughter and her friend.

This will be the 4th trip we have taken in May. We either go in May or Oct/Nov and Kidani is our home resort with DVC.

I am hoping for the following ADR's (booking next week!!)

La Hacienda - will book 2 ADR's here as our friends loved it this past May.
Le Cellier (dinner) - my BFF loved the filet.
Via Napoli - one word...PIZZA!
CA Grille - a must for my DH and I...our favorite.
Sanaa - we always book it for our last night at our home resort. Love the food.

We are gonna pick up CS at the Mara our first night and go to WPE our 3rd night as the boys like to go to the cigar shop and then stroll around to listen to the musicians on the West Side while the girls shop.

So, a question....when staying concierge level...your IPO is able to book ADR's before the 180 days out? Is that one of the perks?

 

[Jessica527]

Love the plans coming along!

So to confirm -

Rides closed so far are 1. Thunder Mountain and 2. Test Track.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Love the plans coming along!

So to confirm -

Rides closed so far are 1. Thunder Mountain and 2. Test Track.

I've just looked at closures on the website and it says something different

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/

 

[MarkF0wle]

I've just looked at closures on the website and it says something different

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/

The Test Track closure is just a rumour, the rumour is they are going to change the ride to be more progressive due to it's what GM want to renew sponsorship.

BTMR is only confirmed down until March; but the rumour is they are going to put in an interactive queue which will delay it out into May.

 

[ThisIsJason]

Looking forward to:
1. Cinderella's Royal Table (wife wants this one, me, meh)
2. Le Cellier (wanna see what the love/hate is all about)
3. Hoop de Doo (saw it when I was a kid)
4. Liberty Tree Tavern (love the place, grandma was a CM there for years)
5. 50's Prime Time Cafe (not sure why, seems cool).

 

[jesse0418]

Supposedly going down for a refurb from 9th January until 28th May. I'm irritated by the fact we leave on the 24th. Hoping for a speedier than anticipated project.

Of course it would open the week AFTER we leave. I'm hoping the project goes faster as well. Would hate to have to miss that ride as it's one of our favorites.

 

[Missy29]

My top 5 picks are: (Yay! Get to make my adrs im a couple days!)

1. Ohana

2. Sci- fi

3. T-rex

4. Cosmic Rays

5. Kona (have to try that tonga toast!)

My family is pretty picky eaters so we are not doing nothing to fancy

 

[Jessica527]

Zianha favorites for dining are:

Me and my kids don't do many TS meals....I'm usually pretty anti-ADR, but this May I'm planning on 10-12 days and I want to do:

1. Ohana for a Character breakfast (since we haven't done one in a few years).

2. T Rex- we've never eaten here and my DS9 loves Dinosaurs!

(Then it's all CS from there!)
3. Columbia Harbor House

4. Pizzafari

5. Sunshine Seasons