Planning Days and what to do for Dining

[SCRAPBOOKQUEEN]

Hi All,

I'm not sure if I'm just having anxiety or just not able to process everything with graduation (2 of them) coming up and our trip. Need input on our dining plans. Critique and let me know what you would do. We are not going to plan out every single thing since we will have four days in the park. I want this to be more relaxing. This is what I have so far.

Arrive - Sunday, May 22, 2016 -

We will check in and get all organized. Plan on hanging out at Downtown Disney and having dinner there. Thinking of Rainforest but I'm not sure what else is available. Suggestions???

Monday, May 23, 2016 - Disneyland

Arrive at Rope Drop. Will figure out where we want to get Fast Pass and go from there. Suggestions on first fast pass? I thought that since Fantasyland has huge lines we would start there or would Toontown be better:

Question - Is there a single place where you can get pictures with the Princesses like in Disneyworld?

So for dining? We want to do Goofy's Kitchen and I wasn't sure if we should do it this day right off or save it for later????

Tuesday, May 24, 2016 - California Adventure

We would be there for Rope Drop and plan on spending most of the day. I thought that maybe do breakfast somewhere on this day, light snack and then going to Goofy's Kitchen on this day earlier and then go back until it closes? Too much? Is this a good plan?

Wednesday, May 25, 2016 - Beach Day

Going to rent a car and do a beach drive. I got some recommendations of Huntington Beach. Spend most of the day doing the beach thing, having dinner somewhere and then coming back to do pool and hot tub.

Thursday, May 26, 2016 - Park Hop -

Spending the day in the park, doing whichever one we feel. Thinking of doing the Walk with Walt's Foodstep Tour. On this day, I thought we'd just do what we feel like for our meals and then do reservation at Blue Bayou for dessert.

Friday, May 27, 2016 - Park Hop

Arrive at Rope Drop, figure out fast pass thing and do a light breakfast. Thought about doing Plaza Inn for the Fried Chicken that I've been hearing about.

Typically, I love and enjoy the planning but I'm feeling very anxious about all of this. I suppose that one reason is that we invited my daughter's best friend to go with us as they are both graduating from high school and she has now cancelled at the last minute. My daughter is devastated but getting better. I want to make this a super special Mom and Daughter trip now.

Saturday, May 28, 2016 - No real plans on this day. Thought we'd go over to Downtown Disney if we wake up early enough but cannot get a late flight so we will have to leave for the airport around 12:30 or so.

Any suggestions on planning, ideas greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Scrapbookqueen

 

[MICKEYFIL]

Downtown Disney has some great places to eat. If you want something quick then try EArl of Sandwich or Tortilla Jo's. Otherwise all the other restaurants are great.

As for your first day, I wouldn't start in toontown, better to get some fast passes for either Indie or Space Mountain or Star Tours and then go around those areas or head for Fantasyland. If fantasyland is a must, do peter pan or dumbo first as the lineup will build quickly.

 

[ADLFAN]

I think Rainforest Cafe would be a fun first night dinner, and Goofy'Goofy's kitchen for dinner might be a good choice, too! I think either location is fun, and will get you in the mood for the parks!

At DL opening, I think the bulk of the crowd heads to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, while the New Orleans Square, Adventureland, and Critter Country attractions have low lines for a bit longer, so I like to head back there for a little Pirates of the Carribean and Haunted Mansion first thing! I believe ToonTown opens about an hour after the rest of the park. I do recommend hitting TT as early as possible just to get some adorable pictures in the cooler earlier hours. I always roast back there because shade is seriously sparse!

If you want to ride Hyperspace Mountain or the new version of Star Tours, those FP'S are going the quickest, so snag some as you head in. Buzz Lightyear is currently using a "free" FP, so you can hold it without it affecting your ability to hold/pull other FP'S so you might as well grab a set of those, too.

The princesses are somewhat grouped together around the Princess Fantasy Faire to the left of the castle. Three princesses meet inside a building, where you are escorted to three separate rooms to meet them. Rapunzel and Merida are still rotating nearby outside, and Jasmine can be found in Adventureland. I have also seen the princesses in all other random locations in DL, like by Snow White's wishing well, the entrance to DL, and behind Dumbo.

For your DCA day, you'll probably want to follow the rest of the rope drop crowd to Toy Story Midway Mania at the back of the park, then back up to grab Radiator Springs Racers FP'S at the front of the park!

Have fun planning!! Some fun things I might do with my mom are the Animation Academy, getting matching facepaint, maybe a fun caricature portrait from down on the DCA pier!

 

[smartlabelprint]

I'd do goofys on your beach day or 1st to not waste park time.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I'd either do dinner at Goofy's Kitchen on your arrival day or for breakfast on your beach day. I would skip Rainforest on arrival day either way. While it's fun for kids it would not be my pick for a recent High School Grad. I'd suggest Naples, or Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen instead. Many sites - including the sister site wdwinfo.com have full lists of the restaurants available in all the parks, hotels, and in DtD with the menus which might help you find a great place your daughter would really enjoy.
HTH

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I agree with the suggestion to do Goofy's on your arrival day. It will be a fun way to set the Disney tone for the rest of your visit. For the Monday, you could do another sit down dinner at CO, CC, or RBT (if you want to stay inside DL) or at someplace that interests you in DtD. Jazz Kitchen has live music, so that could be fun. The balcony by the railing allows for fun people watching. For the Tuesday, you could do rope drop at DCA then have a nice breakfast at Storyteller's Cafe afterward. That would keep you full for a while, so the idea about a light lunch would work well. Another option would be to do Ariel's for lunch so you could meet the princesses while dining. You might enjoy dinner at CCR or in the CC lounge. For your last morning, how about breakfast at S55? That is our tradition for ending our DLR trips. It is a nice, relaxing breakfast with good food and great service.

 

[VandVsmama]

My thoughts:
Sun 5/22 - a high school grad might be more interested in another restaurant other than Rainforest Café, but it really depends on what your kid is like. Maybe ask DD what she would prefer. Show her the menus online and let her pick. I've never eaten at Catal, but on the DIS podcasts, they always rave about how good the food and service is there.

Mon 5/23 - Figure out beforehand where you want to get your 1st FP from. Toontown doesn't usually open until 1 hour after regular park opening. So for example, maybe get a Star Tours or Space Mountain FP and then go to Fantasyland. Re: pictures w/princesses, Fantasyland has Princess Fantasy Faire, at which you can take pictures with 3-4 princesses. Download the Disneyland app on your smart phone and it'll tell you which princesses will be there at which times of day. Princesses also roam around the park and the app will tell you where & when they'll be hanging around.

Don't waste valuable park time to do Goofy's Kitchen. Just do Goofy's Kitchen once, not twice.

Tues 5/24 -
Go on RSR first and then get a FP for it. Lots of folks like the breakfast at Flo's V8 Café. Which hotel are you staying at? Goofy's Kitchen only has brunch & dinner. Brunch lasts until 2pm. Maybe do Goofy's Kitchen on this day but at the first seating for dinner and then take the monorail back to the parks?

Fri 5/27 -
The Plaza Inn fried chicken is good and you can often share 1 plate if you're light eaters or if 1 of you isn't overly hungry. I also recommend Carnation Café, but that would require a reservation. Lots of people recommend their fried pickles, but I thought that they were kind of gross...it's an acquired taste! Everything else we had there was really great, though!

Sat 5/28 -
Do character breakfast at PPH (Surf's Up breakfast w/Mickey) before you have to leave for the airport.