Our First Disney Vacation! A journal on the journey to September 7, 2011!

:cheer2: We booked our flights! :cheer2: We booked our flights! :cheer2: We got awesome flights out of a close small airport at great times. We will be getting into MCO at 9:40am and will be leaving MCO at 7:00pm. I feel that with these flight times we will be getting the most out of our first and last days! I'm so excited! It definitely feels more real now. :dance3: :yay: :woohoo:
 
:cheer2: We booked our flights! :cheer2: We booked our flights! :cheer2: We got awesome flights out of a close small airport at great times. We will be getting into MCO at 9:40am and will be leaving MCO at 7:00pm. I feel that with these flight times we will be getting the most out of our first and last days! I'm so excited! It definitely feels more real now. :dance3: :yay: :woohoo:

Congratulations! It's always a real relief for us when we get our tickets booked!
 
:dance3: We have 91 days to go!!!!! :dance3:

It seems that I just wasn't happy with our old itinerary. I changed nearly every single thing around and came up with a new plan and thankfully was able to change our ADR's to accommodate our new schedule.

New Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival / Magic Kingdom
Day 2 - Epcot World Showcase
Day 3 - Animal Kingdom / Open Evening
Day 4 - Rest Day / Downtown Disney
Day 5 - Magic Kingdom
Day 6 - Epcot Future World
Day 7 - Hollywood Studios / Boardwalk
Day 8 - Open Morning / Magic Kingdom
Day 9 - Open Morning / Animal Kingdom Lodge
Day 10 - Magic Kingdom / Departure

Our ADR's:
September 7 - Chef Mickey's at 6:35p
September 8 - Le Cellier at 1:20p
September 9 - Tusker House at 8:15a
September 10 - Raglan Road at 5:45p
September 11 - none
September 12 - Coral Reef at 6:20p -or- Garden Grill at 7:05p
September 13 - Hollywood & Vine at 12:30p -or- Cape May Cafe at 6:25p
September 14 - 'Ohana at 5:15p
September 15 - Boma at 6:15p
September 16 - Crystal Palace at 11:40a
 

I did that same exact thing a few days go when we decided to do harry potter. It's insane... but I promise you you'll do it at least once more ;)

:cool1::cool1: Congrats on double digits!
 
I did that same exact thing a few days go when we decided to do harry potter. It's insane... but I promise you you'll do it at least once more ;)

:cool1::cool1: Congrats on double digits!

:lmao: I sure hope I don't change it again! I actually REALLY like what I have now a lot better. It just seems to "flow" more. I just can't wait to test out this new itinerary to see if it really is as good as I'm hoping! :laughing:
 
Hi! I really like your new plans!!! Don't feel bad about changing it, we all do it! :lmao:

I'm actually a travel agent & I STILL change my plans around a bazillion times before our trip!!! I actually changed my ADR's around the other night & I'm sure the plans still aren't "definite" as of yet! I honestly have an easier time planning other people's trips than my own!!! :lmao:

I love your ADR choices!!! It's a very, very hard decision for me to choose between Coral Reef & Garden Grill -- they are both amazing restaurants!!! I am a huge seafood lover, so I normally would pick Coral Reef! On the other hand, my DH prefers Garden Grill -- so it's just a matter of your own preferences. I will say if you choose Coral Reef & love seafood, get the Mahi Mahi -- it is delicious!!! We've eaten at CR the past two trips and I am a little sad we won't be eating there this year!

We ate at Hollywood & Vine last year for breakfast. I really enjoyed the breakfast buffet there & our son (who was 2 at the time) enjoyed the character interaction. I'm not a huge breakfast person (I don't eat eggs, bacon, etc) and I really loved the food here! I also should mention that I'm not a huge fan of any Disney breakfast, so this is saying a lot!!! You currently have a lunch ressie for H&V -- so my breakfast review doesn't help you a lot but I just wanted to share our experience because it was a good one!

I have never tried the dinner at Cape May Cafe because while I am a huge seafood fan, my DH is not. I have, however, heard nothing but great things about the evening buffet! This is only my opinion, but I think I would choose Cape May for the 13th because its easier for us (with our toddler son) to eat scheduled breakfasts or dinners on vacation & just grab something mid-day at a quick service restaurant. All families are different & all children are different so it would just depend on your schedule/nap time/break from parks/etc. With our son, its just a lot easier to not schedule many (if any) lunches in case we need to leave the park mid-day. If we have a dinner scheduled, we can always make it back to the park if we've taken a break at our resort or we have time to go to an ADR at another resort after naptime! Lunches are just harder for us to schedule -- but as I said, it just depends on your child's schedule & you know that better than me :goodvibes

Don't forget at Tusker House to ask the CM to take a picture of you with Donald Duck on your own camera. They come around during your meal & ask if you want to purchase the one that the Disney photographer took & it will cost you around $30. If you ask them to take one on your camera, you won't have to worry about this extra charge!

I just read the last 2 pages, so I'm going back to catch up! I can't wait to hear more about your plans!!!
 
Hi! I really like your new plans!!! Don't feel bad about changing it, we all do it! :lmao:

I'm actually a travel agent & I STILL change my plans around a bazillion times before our trip!!! I actually changed my ADR's around the other night & I'm sure the plans still aren't "definite" as of yet! I honestly have an easier time planning other people's trips than my own!!! :lmao:

I love your ADR choices!!! It's a very, very hard decision for me to choose between Coral Reef & Garden Grill -- they are both amazing restaurants!!! I am a huge seafood lover, so I normally would pick Coral Reef! On the other hand, my DH prefers Garden Grill -- so it's just a matter of your own preferences. I will say if you choose Coral Reef & love seafood, get the Mahi Mahi -- it is delicious!!! We've eaten at CR the past two trips and I am a little sad we won't be eating there this year!

We ate at Hollywood & Vine last year for breakfast. I really enjoyed the breakfast buffet there & our son (who was 2 at the time) enjoyed the character interaction. I'm not a huge breakfast person (I don't eat eggs, bacon, etc) and I really loved the food here! I also should mention that I'm not a huge fan of any Disney breakfast, so this is saying a lot!!! You currently have a lunch ressie for H&V -- so my breakfast review doesn't help you a lot but I just wanted to share our experience because it was a good one!

I have never tried the dinner at Cape May Cafe because while I am a huge seafood fan, my DH is not. I have, however, heard nothing but great things about the evening buffet! This is only my opinion, but I think I would choose Cape May for the 13th because its easier for us (with our toddler son) to eat scheduled breakfasts or dinners on vacation & just grab something mid-day at a quick service restaurant. All families are different & all children are different so it would just depend on your schedule/nap time/break from parks/etc. With our son, its just a lot easier to not schedule many (if any) lunches in case we need to leave the park mid-day. If we have a dinner scheduled, we can always make it back to the park if we've taken a break at our resort or we have time to go to an ADR at another resort after naptime! Lunches are just harder for us to schedule -- but as I said, it just depends on your child's schedule & you know that better than me :goodvibes

Don't forget at Tusker House to ask the CM to take a picture of you with Donald Duck on your own camera. They come around during your meal & ask if you want to purchase the one that the Disney photographer took & it will cost you around $30. If you ask them to take one on your camera, you won't have to worry about this extra charge!

I just read the last 2 pages, so I'm going back to catch up! I can't wait to hear more about your plans!!!

:welcome: Thank you so much for all of your reviews! You really have me thinking that your recommendation for the 13th is great! I'm honestly not very thrilled about Hollywood & Vine and I'm not sure how well my boys will do through a sit down lunch if we are getting up so early that day. I really want to try Cape May Cafe because I'm a huge seafood lover. My DH also likes seafood and I'm sure there is enough there for the boys to eat and be just as happy.

I am still not sure about Coral Reef and Garden Grill. I think my boys will like both a lot, but for very different reasons. While you have just given a great review of Coral Reef, there are far too many not-so-great reviews on here about it.... :confused3
 
I found the perfect shirts for our arrival day and dinner at Chef Mickey's that night! I found them at Target and was so happy to find the perfect sizes for both of the boys. I'm trying to figure out if I should just trust that they won't get their shirts dirty on the way to WDW or if I should just put them on them on our way out of Pop to MK. Maybe I'll get them different shirts for the trip to WDW. Either way, I can't wait for them to put these shirts on!!!

100_3768-1.jpg
 
Those shirts are super cute. I would vote for Chef Mickey's. The characters love when they see themselves!
 
Love your new schedule. I plan on looking mine over this week to double check that I'm happy with everything as well. (getting close to that 3 month mark!) Make any decisions about Garden Grill vs Coral Reef? I am completely bias as I've never eaten at Garden Grill. But Coral Reef is unlike you will ever do with your family again (unless you go back to Disney!) The food is good and they are really accommodating...dont' be afraid to ask there or at any Disney restaurant really for something to be left off or changed from a dish.

Also I vote you wait til right before Chef Mickey's to put their new cute Disney shirts on! It will make it that much more special!
 
I haven't posted here in a long time, but let me tell you that your schedule is wonderful!

And the shirts for the boys are too cute!
 
Signing up.
Congratulations on booking your flights. :woohoo: Much better than driving... I don't mind a road trip but when it comes to WDW I just want to be there already.

Those red t-shirts are very cute. I would bring them in your carry on and change the boys once you get there. You never know what can happen...

And your ADR's look pretty good. I think you made wonderful choices.

Congrats on less than a hundred days to go. :)

Q
 
:dance3: We have 91 days to go!!!!! :dance3:

It seems that I just wasn't happy with our old itinerary. I changed nearly every single thing around and came up with a new plan and thankfully was able to change our ADR's to accommodate our new schedule.

New Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival / Magic Kingdom
Day 2 - Epcot World Showcase
Day 3 - Animal Kingdom / Open Evening
Day 4 - Rest Day / Downtown Disney
Day 5 - Magic Kingdom
Day 6 - Epcot Future World
Day 7 - Hollywood Studios / Boardwalk
Day 8 - Open Morning / Magic Kingdom
Day 9 - Open Morning / Animal Kingdom Lodge
Day 10 - Magic Kingdom / Departure

Our ADR's:
September 7 - Chef Mickey's at 6:35p
September 8 - Le Cellier at 1:20p
September 9 - Tusker House at 8:15a
September 10 - Raglan Road at 5:45p
September 11 - none
September 12 - Coral Reef at 6:20p -or- Garden Grill at 7:05p
September 13 - Hollywood & Vine at 12:30p -or- Cape May Cafe at 6:25p
September 14 - 'Ohana at 5:15p
September 15 - Boma at 6:15p
September 16 - Crystal Palace at 11:40a

Subscribing...I love the planning almost as much as going so I'm following along with your pre-trip.

We tried Cape May clambake for the first time last year-we went with my cousin's family and they are big seafood lovers. My son and I don't like seafood so I figured it wasn't for us. It was great :thumbsup2 it was my 2nd favorite meal of our trip ( Le Cellier was my favorite ) :worship: Mac n cheese was awesome here-real homemade. Desserts and salads were really good. So glad I gave it a try!! The breakfast here is alot of fun too!!
 
I haven't posted here in a long time, but let me tell you that your schedule is wonderful!

And the shirts for the boys are too cute!

Hello there! It's great to see you here. The reason you haven't been here is because I haven't even been here. :lmao: I hadn't checked in here in a few months. Life got in the way... :confused3

Signing up.
Congratulations on booking your flights. :woohoo: Much better than driving... I don't mind a road trip but when it comes to WDW I just want to be there already.

Those red t-shirts are very cute. I would bring them in your carry on and change the boys once you get there. You never know what can happen...

And your ADR's look pretty good. I think you made wonderful choices.

Congrats on less than a hundred days to go. :)

Q

:welcome: Thanks for stopping by! I just read your trip report so far and I'm excited for the rest of it! Everyone has been telling me to just wait on the shirts until we get there... and that is exactly what I'm going to do. I am probably just going to get them different shirts for traveling to WDW.


Subscribing...I love the planning almost as much as going so I'm following along with your pre-trip.

We tried Cape May clambake for the first time last year-we went with my cousin's family and they are big seafood lovers. My son and I don't like seafood so I figured it wasn't for us. It was great :thumbsup2 it was my 2nd favorite meal of our trip ( Le Cellier was my favorite ) :worship: Mac n cheese was awesome here-real homemade. Desserts and salads were really good. So glad I gave it a try!! The breakfast here is alot of fun too!!

:welcome: Thank you for your review on CMC! I'm excited about it and just told DH earlier that I really want to go there and don't want to go to Hollywood & Vine at all.
 
I had to come and share my excitement. I had a 1:20p ADR for Le Cellier on the 8th, but felt that it was so late for lunch, especially when we have lunch at home around 11:30 or 12:00. Well, I have been trying and trying to get an earlier ADR and I finally did today!!! We got an 11:30 ADR for Le Cellier!!!! :cheer2: :yay: :woohoo: :banana: :cool1: This new time is just going to work so much better with our plans! :dance3:
 
Congrats on getting the perfect LeCellier ADR! :thumbsup2

Thank you! I am seriously SO excited. I knew it would be a fight with the boys having lunch so late. This will just work out so much better. Mushroom Risotto Filet here I come! :worship:
 
I had to come and share my excitement. I had a 1:20p ADR for Le Cellier on the 8th, but felt that it was so late for lunch, especially when we have lunch at home around 11:30 or 12:00. Well, I have been trying and trying to get an earlier ADR and I finally did today!!! We got an 11:30 ADR for Le Cellier!!!! :cheer2: :yay: :woohoo: :banana: :cool1: This new time is just going to work so much better with our plans! :dance3:

:woohoo:
 














Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Walt Disney World!

Save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer in late summer and early fall. Plus, enjoy other savings for shorter stays.This offer is valid for stays most nights from August 1 to October 11, 2025.
CLICK HERE













DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest

Back
Top