[bali]

Here we go again! Those of you who read my May trip report will remember that we practically rolled ourselves around WDW that whole week because we simply made (and kept!) too many PSs! So this time around, I'm trying to keep it down to around one PS per day (if that). Please take a look and shower me with your opinions; I'll put them in the context of a proposed itinerary, so feel free to comment on that as well (we'll make time for naps, no worries):

Tuesday (we broke tradition and are leaving after work instead of early morning):
-Arrive MCO @ 7:00pm
-Check-in @ 8:00pm
-Dinner @ 9:30 -- suggestions? (the only reason I'm guessing 9:30 here is because we don't want to eat at DTD and we'll have to catch a bus to a park to eat -- do busses go to parks at 9:00?)

Wednesday:
-Sleep in
-MK
-'Ohana dinner
-Wishes

Thursday:
-sleep in
-MGM
-Liberty Tree Tavern dinner
-MNSSHP

Friday:
-MK EMH or sleep in
-Epcot
-Le Cellier lunch
-Epcot (or back to hotel to rest)
-Food and Wine Festival dinner
-Illuminations

Saturday:
-AK EMH (Tusker House breakfast)
-AK
-Dinner suggestions?
-DTD/Pleasure Island

Sunday:
-Chef Mickey's breakfast
-Open day (we're thinking of pool hopping to Coronado Springs for the day -- we can do that if we're DVC guests, right?)

Monday:
-Epcot EMH or sleep in
-MGM
-Fantasmic package (we've alwasy done H&V and it's getting boring -- what do we all think of Mama Melrose's?)

Tuesday:
-Early Crystal Palace breakfast
-MK
-AK EMH (Tusker House dinner?)

Wednesday:
-Typhoon Lagoon
-'Ohana dinner
-MK EMH (if we're not too tired from laying in the sun all day )

Thursday:
-Epcot
-Le Cellier dinner
-Jelly Rolls

Friday:
-MK EMH
-Rose and Crown lunch
-leave @ 6:00pm for MCO

So, the restaurants that we still want to fit in are Biergarten, San Angel Inn, and Beaches and Cream. Unfortunately, we can't mess with the double ADRs at 'Ohana and Le Cellier (sacred ground and all).

Thanks in advance!

[skwak]

Hi Bali,

I would suggest:

On Tuesday: You could eat at the restaurant at your hotel depending on which hotel you are staying at. I'm not sure that the busses will be running much later than that especially since you would be taking a 11:00 bus back to your hotel.

On Thursday: Even though MNSSHP officially starts at 7:00, we have been allowed in as early as 4:00 with our tickets. So I say check at the front on Wednesday when you go and they will tell you the real poop. If you go at 4:00, you can make a PS for the Crystal Palace, have a great dinner and still be in the MK playing by 5:30 which is 1.5 hours earlier than the tickets say.

On Saturday: This is a tough one. There are not really many "fine dining" spots at AK. However, the restaurants at DTD will be mobbed. I would suggest The Rainforest Cafe at AK (not DTD). I believe that they stay open about 1 hour after the park closes. That way you can have a leisurely meal after the park closes.

On Monday: Sorry, I don't know anything about Mama's

[bali]

Thanks skwak! We're staying at SSR, so we might have to do the DTD thing for dinner that first night. And that's great advice about Saturday night -- I didn't even think about the fact that the DTD restaurants will be packed. Hmm... .

I've now made an ADR at LTT for 5:25pm on my MNSSHP night. This might get us out a little late, but at least we can avoid being packed into Tomorrowland... .

[BuzzLightyear]

Hey Bali, you are a real pro! Great itinerary!

I would give Mama Melrose a try for your Fantasmic night. We really enjoyed the food there last trip.

Tough decision for your AK day. If not the Rain Forest, maybe take a trip to one of the Resorts resturants?

[skwak]

Bali, sounds like you are on the ball!!

Have fun!!

[A Goofy Family]

On our last trip we arrived at SSR around 6pm or so, by the time we got settled it was about 8:30pm and off to MK we went...we arrived just before 9:00...just in time for the Specto Parade...no problems taking the bus at that hour. Hopefully you will have the same luck.

[royorb1]

Mama Melrose is a great restaraunt! We have done the Fantasmic package there twice.

[Dana]

Great choices! For your AK day, Rainforest is a great little spot for lunch or dinner. WE tried it in January and loved it. On you Fantasmic! package, momma's is great. My DD and I have gone there the last two trips and we didn't even do FAntasmic! last time. Excellent dinner!

[jk8]

We went to Boma (at AKL) on our AK day since we were sort of over that way anyway. It a really great meal.

[bali]

Ooh! Awesome advice, all (what else would I expect, of course?!?). We haven't been over to Boma for a long time -- I wonder if I can talk my roomie into heading over there for dinner again... . And I think Mama's is going to win out for Fantasmic. Thanks everyone!!

A Goofy Family -- How did you like SSR? I'm not quite sold on it, but by the time we made our reservations BWV and BCV were sold out

[Pooh Fan]

You will love Mama Melrose. We have eaten there twice for the Fantasmic Package and really loved the food. I n oticed you wanted to fit Beaches and Cream in which we think is great. Maybe you could eat there for a late lunch or early dinner on either Sat. or Sun. They have always been packed around dinner time, but we found that in the late afternoon they are not as crowded. Your plans sound really good so far.

[A Goofy Family]

{/QUOTE]A Goofy Family -- How did you like SSR? I'm not quite sold on it, but by the time we made our reservations BWV and BCV were sold out [/quote]

Sorry for the delay in response, my computer has been a little under the weather lately.

As for SSR, we really liked it. The rooms could have been bigger, but they were accomadating. The pull out sofa was very comfortable and the kids, 11yo twins slept well together on it. I liked that the sink/vanity area was separate from the toilet/shower area, unlike OKW which has it all in one room in the studios. This way someone could be getting ready while another one was showering. Our room was in The Springs and we could see the DTD fireworks from our balcony, we were very close to the pool, restaurant and gift shop and also the bus stop. We were on the 3rd floor, but didn't mind it since it had an elevator to get our luggage to/from the car. The rooms were nicely decorated and clean linens, restocks were available each morning outside our room door. We actually walked from DTD to our room one night and it was pretty cool to be able to do that. It was also VERY quiet, they must sound proof the walls/doors of that place very well. My aunt couldn't hear me yell out through the door to wait a minute while the kids got out of bed and got some clothes on one morning. BDavis932 stayed there as well as my M/FIL. Don't think they had any complaints either. We're glad we bought into DVC when we did, we get 50 years and not required to stay at our home resort. The next 2 trips we have planned, we'll be staying at OKW and then The Boardwalk Villas. We want to try them all!!!

[llama]

Here's a thought for dinner on Sat. when you're going to DTD. Why not have dinner at the Earl of Sandwich? The food is fantastic. With all the great sit-down restaurants you have planned, it will give you a light dinner, at a great price, for a nice change.

[bali]

Originally Posted by A Goofy Family

{/QUOTE]A Goofy Family -- How did you like SSR? I'm not quite sold on it, but by the time we made our reservations BWV and BCV were sold out

Sorry for the delay in response, my computer has been a little under the weather lately.

As for SSR, we really liked it. The rooms could have been bigger, but they were accomadating. The pull out sofa was very comfortable and the kids, 11yo twins slept well together on it. I liked that the sink/vanity area was separate from the toilet/shower area, unlike OKW which has it all in one room in the studios. This way someone could be getting ready while another one was showering. Our room was in The Springs and we could see the DTD fireworks from our balcony, we were very close to the pool, restaurant and gift shop and also the bus stop. We were on the 3rd floor, but didn't mind it since it had an elevator to get our luggage to/from the car. The rooms were nicely decorated and clean linens, restocks were available each morning outside our room door. We actually walked from DTD to our room one night and it was pretty cool to be able to do that. It was also VERY quiet, they must sound proof the walls/doors of that place very well. My aunt couldn't hear me yell out through the door to wait a minute while the kids got out of bed and got some clothes on one morning. BDavis932 stayed there as well as my M/FIL. Don't think they had any complaints either. We're glad we bought into DVC when we did, we get 50 years and not required to stay at our home resort. The next 2 trips we have planned, we'll be staying at OKW and then The Boardwalk Villas. We want to try them all!!!

Thanks so much for this! It makes me feel a lot better about the resort. I guess, when it comes down to it, a Disney resort is a Disney resort, right?!?

[A Goofy Family]

They were very very nice at the front desk (The Carriage House, I believe) and wanted us to be in the very best room available and even offered to move us the next morning so we could have a DTD view. As it turned out, we told him we'd stay in the same room our entire stay (8 nights) and we loved the location and all. It was just a studio, but we did just fine. It's a beautiful resort! If you have anyone in your family that loves horses...they will go ga-ga over this place, my daughter and 2 nieces LOVED the decor. It was very nicely done. I'm happy the SSR is our "home" but like I said, I want to see them all. I would love to hear your take on it when you get back, so don't forget to do a TR!