[lvbug]

Okay --
I am planning our WDW BC trip for 7/02 and the entire family is going. Many in the group haven't been since '97.

I am asking all you WDW Experts for your opinions as to what I absolutely should not miss-- which restaurants should we definitely get to, what attractions are not to be missed...

I'm looking to cram the best of Disney into 6 short days!!! :)


Gees Mickey, I don't know about you, but, I thought the people around here would be dying to give me their take on what is not to be missed!?!? :devil

[mickey]

This is a tough one. Our trips usually last six or seven days, and we usually try to go twice a year, so we have seen and done everything there is in WDW. There are some things we just don't miss, and some restaurants that we eat at every time. Here is my list of things not to miss, and coincidentally, my favorite things to do as well:

1. Illuminations. Get a good spot a half an hour early, you won't regret it.
2. Kilamanjaro Safari first thing in the morning. The animals are everywhere, and it is so peaceful and quiet, you will think you are in Africa.
3. The mountains in Magic Kingdom. Big Thunder, Splash and Space. Tower of Terror and Rock 'N' Roller Coaster in MGM. Test Track in EPCOT.
4. Boardwalk at night. Rent a surrey bike at boardwalk for a half an hour.( it may not seem like it is long enough, but on your third trip up the hill between the Boardwalk and Beach Club, you will wonder why you didn't only rent it for fifteen minutes!) Spend time watching the buskers and the other entertainers. Get ice cream at the ice cream shop. Sit on the benches and enjoy the passers-by.
5. The movies in EPCOT, France, Canada and China. Great way to relax and get out of the heat. The American Adventure in EPCOT, everyone else loves it, and I get a good nap.
6. Rent a boat at the Contemporary and explore the Seven Seas Lagoon. The resorts are beautiful from the water.
7. Character breakfast at Cinderella's or Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom.
8. Explore any resorts that interest you. We usually do it via the swimming pool of the resort, or a restaurant, and then we just wander.
9. Take a couple of afternoons of and relax. The pool at the BC is by far the best, so take advantage of it.


Restaurants:
1. Spoodles, on the boardwalk. My favorite restaurant. Not too expensive, great food, and a nice loud place so my kids don't stand out.
2. Flying Fish, on the boardwalk. Fantastic seafood! A bit pricey.
3. 50's Prime Time Cafe, Disney-MGM Studios. Great fun and good food. Say hello to your cousins!
4. Artist's Point in Wilderness Lodge and Jiko in Animal Kingdom Lodge. Two great, somewhat fancy restaurants.
5. The restaurants in the World Showcase. This is a great oportunity to taste food from around the world. Try something different. If you have never had Moroccan or Norwegian food, try it, you'll like it. We usually eat at five or six of them during our stay. They are all great, so eat away. (I personally don't like San Angel Inn in Mexico, and I love Le Cellier in Canada, but others may disagree.)
6. Breakfast at Kona Cafe in the Polynesian. Home of Tonga Toast, but everything else on the menu is fantastic, and it's right by the monorail.

I hope this helps. I always remember the vacations where we spend time swimming the the pools, and just relaxing much more so than the times that we are running from ride to ride. Let us know if you have a question about a particular restaurant or another part of Disney I didn't mention. Good luck!

[lvbug]

Thanks Mickey for all the great suggestions. Anyone else?

[mickey]

So, anyone else want to help out here? Hint, hint....

[lvbug]

Mickey, you are funny!

[brumcg]

Howdy lvbug,

I was going to reply to you when I first saw your post, but then Mickey really nailed the response IMO!

I guess a couple of things I might add:

- It's Tough to be a Bug at the Tree of Life in AK; we all loved it, and while you go through the line you get to see the Tree close up.

- In the same vein, my wife and daughter can't go to Epcot without seeing Honey, I Shrunk the Audience at least twice. Hmmm...they love Muppetvision too...must be a 3D thing...

- Even if you don't have little kids, don't miss some of the rides in Fantasyland; they'll make you feel young again. My personal faves are Peter Pan and Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Of course if you have little kids, it's even better!

- If you have really little ones, be sure to see Bear in the Big Blue House in MGM - it'll make you smile.

- We're going to take the time on this next trip to enjoy the Parades; typically, we ride during them (shorter lines), but it's time to see what they are all about.

- Based upon many recommendations, we're going to try 'Ohana, Cape May Cafe, and Chefs de France this time around.

- If there was only one thing I could see...I'd pick Fantasmic... simply amazing. I HATE waiting in lines, and if I have to I'd wait 1.5 hours to see it.

- The last thing that you shouldn't miss is important... your vacation! We typically go for 6 days as well, but we always seem to fall into the "gotta do everything" trap. Last year, we literally exhausted ourselves and then got sick (there's nothing like seeing your kid projectile vomit at Akershus!). This time around (in June), I vow, we'll work some relaxation into the mix.

Have fun and stay cool!

Bruce

[lopo]

I, too, think that Mickey's response covered the "must see" things at WDW, so I hesitated to add my two cents. But, since you are still looking for other opinions, I'll offer some.
Mickey suggested Cinderella's or The Crystal Palace for character breakfasts. I have never done Cindy's, but I love the Crystal Palace. I've gone for both lunch and dinner. I'd suggest that you make reservations for a late lunch since the prices are lower than dinner, but you will eat many of the same foods at either sitting. And, if you do a late lunch at the all-you-can-eat buffet, you can enjoy a light dinner (or even a hearty snack) that night. BTW, the characters at the Palace are Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet.
However, two other character meals I'd like to suggest to you: Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary and the Cape May Cafe in the Beach Club Resort. We enjoyed dinner at Chef Mickey's; the food was delicious! We had a couple of breakfasts at the Beach Club; they were hearty and also delicious. I've not had the opportunity to try the New England Clambake that is served every evening at the Cape May Cafe (I think it still is. I haven't checked recently.), but I've heard that it is quite good if you enjoy that type of food. The characters are these two restaurants are Mickey, Goofy, Minnie and, I think, Chip and Dale. I'm not sure that Mickey is at Cape May; it's been a while since my last visit.
One other favorite spot of my family's is The Rainforest Cafe. We go for the atmosphere, I think, because the food isn't spectacular for the price. RFs are located next to the Animal Kingdom and in Downtown Disney. If you haven't been to one of them, it is definitely worth a visit. The decor is amazing, and I think that children especially enjoy the theme.
Also, I'd like to reiterate what Bruce said: don't forget that you are on vacation! Relax and enjoy. The stress we develop trying to fit "everything" in is not worth the end result.

[Goofette]

I haven't been myself since 1992, but I will be going in April so as soon as I get back I'll give a report and tell you the things I loved. I do know my favorite rides are HM and Pirates of the Caribbean. And another ride I love *as I duck my head because I know I'm going to get nailed on this one LOL* is......It's a Small World. :angel I just love that ride. But I know most adults do not. I also love the Great Movie Ride. Body Wars made me really sick, I felt like I had car sickness the rest of the day. With that said, I will stick to these until after my April trip, when I might be making some changes.:)

[lvbug]

Its okay Goofette up until 2 years ago I would have been right with you on the "its a small world" thing, but then I got stuck on the ride for 1 hour in the dutch section. That's 1 full hour of its a small world over and over again.... needless to say hubby will not try it this time : ) Thanks for the input!

[Goofette]

Originally posted by lvbug
Its okay Goofette up until 2 years ago I would have been right with you on the "its a small world" thing, but then I got stuck on the ride for 1 hour in the dutch section. That's 1 full hour of its a small world over and over again.... needless to say hubby will not try it this time : ) Thanks for the input!

oooohhhh! I think that would probably ruin it then. By the end of the ride you've got that song stuck in your head anyway, so you probably had it stuck in your head for days lol. I guess I shouldn't laugh, I might end up stuck in the same boat as you. Maeg already goes around singing it constantly now, and she hasn't even been to WDW yet.

Hey...How was the Birthday by the way. Happy Birthday Again (Of course now it's 12:08AM on 03/01)

[Fantasmic]

Just don't miss Fantasmic. that's all :)

[Goofette]

Originally posted by Fantasmic
Just don't miss Fantasmic. that's all :)

What park is Fantasmic in, and do we need reservations? I need to look up and see what it is. I've seen a lot of posts about not missing it, but I wasn't sure what it was.

I Love the Tonga Toast at Kona Cafe Breakfast. Just got the recipe the other day, so i'm going to try it at home, mmmmmgoood

[goofy]

What park is Fantasmic in?

It's in MGM studios.

Do we need reservations?

No you don't, but I am sure that Mickey will tell you.

[mickey]

What park is Fantasmic in, and do we need reservations?

Fantasmic is an big outdoor show that is in Disney-MGM Studios. The theater is between the Beauty and the Beast show and Tower of Terror. It is usually show twice per night during the summer. When you arrive at the park, as a CM which show is going to be less crowded, and hit that one. You usually have to show up at least an hour early to get in and get a decent seat. There are no reservations available, it is first come, first serve. They do have a dinner package that gets you reserved seats. You can as at Guest Relations about that. Doesn't cost any more than dinner, but you still can't walk in at the last moment. Trust me, if you haven't seen it, it is worth it. It is based around Mickey, and has tons of characters. They have movies shown on these water sprays, and there are some scary parts for younger kids, but in the end Mickey prevails. Fun show, definitely a not miss.

As per the Tonga Toast, I also have the recipe, but I haven't had the guts to try it at home. The eggs benedict at the Kona Cafe are great as well, if you can't fathom eating Tonga Toast. Oh yah, you can ask for strawberries instead of bananas in the TT, might cost a little extra, but a great change.

[mickey]

I just ran across this site, it has pretty general information about Fantasmic, and some good information about the Fantasmic Dinner Package.