Disney Vacation (7 Viewers)

[Plaid Boxer]

So I'm taking my wife, six y/o boy, and three year old girl. I got two Ohana reservations, Chef Micks, some Norwegian princess lunch in epcott, some epcott restaurant with fish tanks everywhere, and yet another Princess dinner at the Contemp or Floridian. I feel like I should get some dinner with a boy theme for my son. Anybody got anything? We are hitting MK, Epcott, both water parks, and MAYBE hollywood if it's true they have little Einsteins there. I'm saving AK and Downtown for next year. Also does anyone know if there are any other little Einsteins things at disney. My daughter is obsessed. Tia.

Last March the Little Einsteins were outside of the Disney Junior Live show for pictures. I have 3 boys and we loved our trip but the vast majority of the 'themed' events/dinners are for girls/princesses. Sure there are a couple of Pirate themed things but my boys are in now way as interested in Pirates as 99% of the girls seem to be in Princesses. Disney makes a killing off Princesses, isn't the new FantasyLand basically Princess central?

 

[The Ref]

I am going to make a few statements. You tell me if i am wrong.If you want to plan a trip to Disney World and location is your #1 issue........and money is no issue, then the Polynesian is the best place to stay. It's location on the monorail and TTC make it #1.and you have some money to spend but still want to be frugal then renting points and staying at the Bay tower is the best choice. You get to stay near the MK and get short walk access to the monorail for reasonable money.and you have some money and don't want the hastle of renting points then the wilderness lodge is the best choice. You get access by boat to the MK and the TTC.Am I wrong here?

If MK is your primary destination, then the monorail is great. We hated being on the monorail though because we found it terrible to ride to the other parks. The monorail resorts frequently share a bus with at least one other resort. They are also furthest from the other resorts. We love the location of Animal Kingdom Lodge and Coronado Springs. I would never stay at a monorail resort again.

But when you are on the monarail you can get to the MK and Epcot easy. Not to mention several of the hotels on the monorail have great restaurants.If AK or MGM is your prime destination I would agree with what you say, in my case it is not.

 

[parasaurolophus]

I am going to make a few statements. You tell me if i am wrong.

If you want to plan a trip to Disney World and location is your #1 issue........

and money is no issue, then the Polynesian is the best place to stay. It's location on the monorail and TTC make it #1.

and you have some money to spend but still want to be frugal then renting points and staying at the Bay tower is the best choice. You get to stay near the MK and get short walk access to the monorail for reasonable money.

and you have some money and don't want the hastle of renting points then the wilderness lodge is the best choice. You get access by boat to the MK and the TTC.

Am I wrong here?

If MK is your primary destination, then the monorail is great. We hated being on the monorail though because we found it terrible to ride to the other parks. The monorail resorts frequently share a bus with at least one other resort. They are also furthest from the other resorts.

We love the location of Animal Kingdom Lodge and Coronado Springs. I would never stay at a monorail resort again.

What's wrong with the monorail? Always seemed pretty quick to me.

The monorail doesn't go to Hollywood studios or Animal Kingdom. It also isnt a direct shot to Epcot from the resorts. You have to take a monorail to another monorail then get to Epcot. Here is a map of the parks. linky

As you can see MK is separated quite a bit from the other parks. So if you plan on spending most of your time at MK then the monorail is great. If you want to spend most of your time at the other parks, then being on the monorail makes a lot less sense. Taking a bus to AK or DHS takes a very long time from the monorail resorts.

 

[Premier]

I am going to make a few statements. You tell me if i am wrong.

If you want to plan a trip to Disney World and location is your #1 issue........

and money is no issue, then the Polynesian is the best place to stay. It's location on the monorail and TTC make it #1.

and you have some money to spend but still want to be frugal then renting points and staying at the Bay tower is the best choice. You get to stay near the MK and get short walk access to the monorail for reasonable money.

and you have some money and don't want the hastle of renting points then the wilderness lodge is the best choice. You get access by boat to the MK and the TTC.

Am I wrong here?

If MK is your primary destination, then the monorail is great. We hated being on the monorail though because we found it terrible to ride to the other parks. The monorail resorts frequently share a bus with at least one other resort. They are also furthest from the other resorts.

We love the location of Animal Kingdom Lodge and Coronado Springs. I would never stay at a monorail resort again.

What's wrong with the monorail? Always seemed pretty quick to me.

The monorail doesn't go to Hollywood studios or Animal Kingdom. It also isnt a direct shot to Epcot from the resorts. You have to take a monorail to another monorail then get to Epcot. Here is a map of the parks. linky

As you can see MK is separated quite a bit from the other parks. So if you plan on spending most of your time at MK then the monorail is great. If you want to spend most of your time at the other parks, then being on the monorail makes a lot less sense. Taking a bus to AK or DHS takes a very long time from the monorail resorts.

Gotcha.

 

[Premier]

"Breaking news" from the Be Our Guest podcast, which I never got out of the habit of listening to even after the DTOAL (1): The back end of FastPass times will be enforced during the spring break season.

This doesn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but the advice given here about stocking up on FastPasses early to redeem them late may no longer be good advice. The rumored policy come March is FP returnees arriving more than 15-20 minutes after the back end of their FP return time will be turned away. So if your FP says 1:00-2:00, you will need to use it by 2:15-2:20 or it will be worthless.

Most parkgoers won't notice the difference, but I can see this eventually putting more pressure on the in-park restaurants to turn tables over and hit reservation times more accurately. We had a couple of times on DTOAL when our reservations weren't honored until 20-30 after our reservation time (2). It didn't matter much for us overall, but if a botched dining reservation made me miss a FP window, I'd be a bit peeved.

So it's a minor inconvenience for the ultra-prepared, but probably won't change the park experience much. If anything, it will make cashing in late FPs easier since there won't be a bunch of FPs from the morning stuffing the FP return queue.

It also seems to be setting up a long-term next-gen tech strategy for Disney. The mouse is planning a customized tech experience for visitors, especially those who stay on property. Things like customized news for returning visitors informing them of what is new/changed since their last visit, smoother Web/smartphone capabilities for dining reservations, etc. But the one next-gen thing this FP enforcement is pointing to is the possibility down the road for visitors to make reservations on popular attractions like Toy Story Mania. I could see WDW opening up the opportunity to book rides in advance as a perk for those staying on property, not unlike how people with on-property reservations can book dining reservations before the general public can.

Anyway, I have no idea how this will play out. I haven't checked any of the WDW messageboards, but I'm guessing there are from Patriots-fans-quality meltdowns going on there for the uberplanners.

----

(1) DTOAL: "disney Trip Of A Lifetime", previously referred to in this thread as "MegaTrip". Name changed because it turns out MegaTrip is the name of a vacation-planning company I have no affiliation with as either a customer or stakeholder.

(2) Queue the scene from an early episode of "Seinfeld" where Jerry destroys a rental car counterperson. Paraphrasing "I don't think you know what a reservation is. If you did, I would have a rental car right now. Anyone can take reservations, it's the holding the reservations part that matters."

Great stuff as always. Is the podcast usually worth a listen? Who hosts it?

 

[RBM]

Whats better.......Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach?

 

[Yankee23Fan]

A few posters mention Star Tours as a new attraction and worthy of a fast pass. Did they redo it? I always thought it was just the motion simulator (opened late 80's) and was able to walk on the last couple trips.

Completely redone. Very awesome. There are dozens of different "rides" inside the simulator as the story changed completely and within the story there are seveeral different combinations of scenes. We did it 3 times in a row at one point about probably 9 or 10 times overall and I can't remember any ride being an exact copy of a previous one.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Whats better.......Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach?

We prefer Blizzard Beach but you can't go wrong with either.

 

[Disco Stu]

A few posters mention Star Tours as a new attraction and worthy of a fast pass. Did they redo it? I always thought it was just the motion simulator (opened late 80's) and was able to walk on the last couple trips.

Yes it's very good. Went back to DHS yesterday. It's an interesting place. There's 4 top-end rides (Star Wars, RNR Coaster, Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania) that are exceptional. Might be 4 of the best 6-7 rides in all of Disney World. And the Prime Time Diner is faaaaaaaaantastic food and atmosphere. But there's not a lot else to do there. The trip through the movies ride is outdated and corny. People with me were rolling their eyes when "Bugsy" tried to take over the car, and the other hostess mailed it in, as if she were channeling Nicholas Cage himself. The Muppets show was a huge disappointment for me (and I'm a big fan) and Indiana Jones was lame. Fantasmic sounds great but has been closed for 2 months (but Beauty and the Beast was well-done), and the park is really small and closes at 7. I guess what I'm trying to say is you get a lot of top-end bang for your buck, but I think I would be disappointed if I spent $80 to go there for one day and couldn't park hop. We were standing around at 1:30 with nothing to do.

What about the car stunt show? It's pretty cool imo. I mostly agree with you, though I still enjoy the nostalgia of the Great Movie Ride. Needs good performers though. And the "big 4" you mentioned are so good, most people want to ride them more than once.

 

[Premier]

A few posters mention Star Tours as a new attraction and worthy of a fast pass. Did they redo it? I always thought it was just the motion simulator (opened late 80's) and was able to walk on the last couple trips.

Yes it's very good. Went back to DHS yesterday. It's an interesting place. There's 4 top-end rides (Star Wars, RNR Coaster, Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania) that are exceptional. Might be 4 of the best 6-7 rides in all of Disney World. And the Prime Time Diner is faaaaaaaaantastic food and atmosphere. But there's not a lot else to do there. The trip through the movies ride is outdated and corny. People with me were rolling their eyes when "Bugsy" tried to take over the car, and the other hostess mailed it in, as if she were channeling Nicholas Cage himself. The Muppets show was a huge disappointment for me (and I'm a big fan) and Indiana Jones was lame. Fantasmic sounds great but has been closed for 2 months (but Beauty and the Beast was well-done), and the park is really small and closes at 7. I guess what I'm trying to say is you get a lot of top-end bang for your buck, but I think I would be disappointed if I spent $80 to go there for one day and couldn't park hop. We were standing around at 1:30 with nothing to do.

What about the car stunt show? It's pretty cool imo. I mostly agree with you, though I still enjoy the nostalgia of the Great Movie Ride. Needs good performers though. And the "big 4" you mentioned are so good, most people want to ride them more than once.

Never seen it. Yesterday it was at 1 and 4:30 and we had Toy Story FP and then a dinner reservation in those time period. Maybe next time.

 

[AcerFC]

Quick note on the monorail discussion.

While there is no direct shot from monorail to Epcot, all you need to do is leave 10 minutes earlier then normal to catch the connection. Then you can take the boat over to DHS. The main key for late goers is that you never have to fold up the stroller.

Animal Kingdom has no direct connections so will probably need to bus it over there

 

[jmills]

Was the word that it will only be enforced during the peak times or year round?

This is a permanent change, or at least its planned to be. Word is that they will be accepted up to 5 minutes early and up to 15 minutes late, though that fact won't be advertised.

 

[BoltzNBrew]

We are going to WDW for 7 days at the end of March. 2 days travel and 5 days at the parks. Days will be MK, Epcot, Hollywood, MK then finish with AK on the monday before we head home. Works out well because each day there is either and early or late EMH's we can take advantage of since we are staying at Port Orleans Riverside resort. We have been to Disneyland many times but our first Disney World attempt. We have pretty much everything planned out down to the meal reservations everywhere and working on what we are going to do when the parks open to get some of the long line rides out of the way before the park opens to everyone.

You rule dude.I'm going to be there the dame time, and I don't even know if I'm going to rent a car yet or not. On the plus side, at least I learned that EP is part of DW.

Here are the reservations we have. Breakfasts are mostly quick in the room meals, most lunches will be on the fly. Will have a couple meals at the POR food court. We are going to bring some snacks in the suitcases and have Garden Grocer deliver some snacks and drinks. Park plans are starting to come together too. Sucks about the FastPass times being enforced but we'll manage. Arrival Day- DTD T-Rex Cafe DinnerMK- Tony's Town Square DinnerEpcot- La Hacienda DinnerDHS- Sci-Fi Diner DinnerMK- Crystal Palace Breakfast Kona Cafe At Polynesian DinnerAK- Rainforest Cafe Lunch DTD Raglan Rd for my Birthday Dinner

 

[PIK95]

Whats better.......Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach?

We prefer Blizzard Beach but you can't go wrong with either.

I prefer Typhoon mostly because I love that wave pool. Not to mention I always feel cold at B.B. with all the ice colors. Maybe it's a being from the the north thing. I really love the lazy river and overall vibe at T.L.

 

[Godsbrother]

I am going to make a few statements. You tell me if i am wrong.

If you want to plan a trip to Disney World and location is your #1 issue........

and money is no issue, then the Polynesian is the best place to stay. It's location on the monorail and TTC make it #1.

and you have some money to spend but still want to be frugal then renting points and staying at the Bay tower is the best choice. You get to stay near the MK and get short walk access to the monorail for reasonable money.

and you have some money and don't want the hastle of renting points then the wilderness lodge is the best choice. You get access by boat to the MK and the TTC.

Am I wrong here?

If MK is your primary destination, then the monorail is great. We hated being on the monorail though because we found it terrible to ride to the other parks. The monorail resorts frequently share a bus with at least one other resort. They are also furthest from the other resorts.

We love the location of Animal Kingdom Lodge and Coronado Springs. I would never stay at a monorail resort again.

What's wrong with the monorail? Always seemed pretty quick to me.

The monorail doesn't go to Hollywood studios or Animal Kingdom. It also isnt a direct shot to Epcot from the resorts. You have to take a monorail to another monorail then get to Epcot. Here is a map of the parks. linky

As you can see MK is separated quite a bit from the other parks. So if you plan on spending most of your time at MK then the monorail is great. If you want to spend most of your time at the other parks, then being on the monorail makes a lot less sense. Taking a bus to AK or DHS takes a very long time from the monorail resorts.

This is why the Polynesian is the best resort in terms on transportation. Monorail and boat access to MK, very short walk to the TTC which gives you monorail access to EPCOT or MK and direct bus service ANYWHERE. It is expensive but if you can afford it is a beautiful resort with the best transportation service on property.

 

[AcerFC]

I just came across this. Dont remember being mentioned here yet. Im not a big fan of it but who knows til i see it in action. I just cant see how this works with so many little kids who drop things without even knowing it

Bracelets

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Whats better.......Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach?

IMO, Blizzard Beach by a mile. But I like fast slides, if you're going with a family that's more interested in slower, less spine tingling slides, you may like the other stuff they have at Typhoon Lagoon, like the ability to swim with sharks, the lazy river, etc.

 

[AcerFC]

This is why the Polynesian is the best resort in terms on transportation. Monorail and boat access to MK, very short walk to the TTC which gives you monorail access to EPCOT or MK and direct bus service ANYWHERE. It is expensive but if you can afford it is a beautiful resort with the best transportation service on property.

I just called and changed my reservation from the Contemporary to the Polynesian on your suggestion. If it doesnt work out, Im coming for you

 

[Godsbrother]

This is why the Polynesian is the best resort in terms on transportation. Monorail and boat access to MK, very short walk to the TTC which gives you monorail access to EPCOT or MK and direct bus service ANYWHERE. It is expensive but if you can afford it is a beautiful resort with the best transportation service on property.

I just called and changed my reservation from the Contemporary to the Polynesian on your suggestion. If it doesnt work out, Im coming for you

Not worried. You will love it!

 

[AcerFC]

This is why the Polynesian is the best resort in terms on transportation. Monorail and boat access to MK, very short walk to the TTC which gives you monorail access to EPCOT or MK and direct bus service ANYWHERE. It is expensive but if you can afford it is a beautiful resort with the best transportation service on property.

I just called and changed my reservation from the Contemporary to the Polynesian on your suggestion. If it doesnt work out, Im coming for you

Not worried. You will love it!

Did you eat at the Luau show? We will definitely do Ohana and Lilo and Stitch breakfast at Ohana. Trying to figure out if the Luau is worth 2 sit down meals.

 

[bushdocda]

This thread is going to be 590 pages by the time I am ready to take my 2 under 2.

I better start reading now.

Polynesian best for transportation, noted.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Whats better.......Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach?

We prefer Blizzard Beach but you can't go wrong with either.

I prefer Typhoon mostly because I love that wave pool. Not to mention I always feel cold at B.B. with all the ice colors. Maybe it's a being from the the north thing. I really love the lazy river and overall vibe at T.L.

Typhoon Lagoon for me and my family. The kids loved the wave pool, and there were enough water slides to keep them occupied.

 

[stbugs]

This is why the Polynesian is the best resort in terms on transportation. Monorail and boat access to MK, very short walk to the TTC which gives you monorail access to EPCOT or MK and direct bus service ANYWHERE. It is expensive but if you can afford it is a beautiful resort with the best transportation service on property.

I just called and changed my reservation from the Contemporary to the Polynesian on your suggestion. If it doesnt work out, Im coming for you

Not worried. You will love it!

Did you eat at the Luau show? We will definitely do Ohana and Lilo and Stitch breakfast at Ohana. Trying to figure out if the Luau is worth 2 sit down meals.

I stayed at the Polynesian last year and the Luau was great. I am not sure what happened, but we had so many points on the DDP we used a ton of extra credits getting drinks/snacks to go home (drive to NC). I think we had to wait at AK for one lunch for a while and I think the manager must have comp'd us because I looked and all of a sudden we had enough meals for an entire week and we were halfway through the week. Weird, but awesome. We ate snacks and grabbed extra drinks whenever we wanted and we still had too many points to use. My wife told me to stop grabbing extra drinks for the ride home.One note I will say is that it is very convenient, but for anyone like me that can drive/has a car available, driving to the parks that aren't really easy to get to was nice. By staying at the Polynesian or any resort, you can park at any park for free and it saves a ton of time. You can drop people off and for the most part the walk was short. I almost wish I figured out earlier that driving to the parks was better sometimes.

 

[stbugs]

Whats better.......Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach?

We prefer Blizzard Beach but you can't go wrong with either.

I prefer Typhoon mostly because I love that wave pool. Not to mention I always feel cold at B.B. with all the ice colors. Maybe it's a being from the the north thing. I really love the lazy river and overall vibe at T.L.

Typhoon Lagoon for me and my family. The kids loved the wave pool, and there were enough water slides to keep them occupied.

We thought about going to Typhoon Lagoon (we heard BB was better for older kids), but we had neighbors there the same week and they went and said it was packed (spring break). You had to get there real early and we didn't want to miss a day at any park for TL. If you don't get to a park early, it can be a waste since the fast pass/lines for the best rides are gone or hours long. Maybe when it isn't so crazy now that all my boys have been to Disney World.

 

[gmbacm]

So I'm taking my wife, six y/o boy, and three year old girl. I got two Ohana reservations, Chef Micks, some Norwegian princess lunch in epcott, some epcott restaurant with fish tanks everywhere, and yet another Princess dinner at the Contemp or Floridian. I feel like I should get some dinner with a boy theme for my son. Anybody got anything? We are hitting MK, Epcott, both water parks, and MAYBE hollywood if it's true they have little Einsteins there. I'm saving AK and Downtown for next year. Also does anyone know if there are any other little Einsteins things at disney. My daughter is obsessed. Tia.

Not specifically boy themed - but no princesses. Garden Grill in Epcot if you want characters for your son. Mickey, Pluto, Chip n Dale. Food was really, really good and by far the most character interaction at any that we did. Id say it was better then chef mickey. We actually had reservations at the fish tank one but switched to garden grill based upon some reviews I read of both.http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/garden-grill/

 

[Dragons]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

 

[AcerFC]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

When I booked my trip for October 30th, they told me the first day I can call is May 3rd.I just dont know if I can do it at midnight or have to wait

 

[Godsbrother]

This is why the Polynesian is the best resort in terms on transportation. Monorail and boat access to MK, very short walk to the TTC which gives you monorail access to EPCOT or MK and direct bus service ANYWHERE. It is expensive but if you can afford it is a beautiful resort with the best transportation service on property.

I just called and changed my reservation from the Contemporary to the Polynesian on your suggestion. If it doesnt work out, Im coming for you

Not worried. You will love it!

Did you eat at the Luau show? We will definitely do Ohana and Lilo and Stitch breakfast at Ohana. Trying to figure out if the Luau is worth 2 sit down meals.

I went to the Luau show many, many years ago. The dancing was cool but I found the food to be meh. The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (Fort Wilderness) was the better of the two shows. The food at the Hoop isn't anything special but it is good and it is all you can eat (beer and sangria included). Disclaimer: I haven't been to either show in over a decade so take my opinions with a grain of salt.

 

[PIK95]

So I'm taking my wife, six y/o boy, and three year old girl. I got two Ohana reservations, Chef Micks, some Norwegian princess lunch in epcott, some epcott restaurant with fish tanks everywhere, and yet another Princess dinner at the Contemp or Floridian. I feel like I should get some dinner with a boy theme for my son. Anybody got anything? We are hitting MK, Epcott, both water parks, and MAYBE hollywood if it's true they have little Einsteins there. I'm saving AK and Downtown for next year. Also does anyone know if there are any other little Einsteins things at disney. My daughter is obsessed. Tia.

Not specifically boy themed - but no princesses. Garden Grill in Epcot if you want characters for your son. Mickey, Pluto, Chip n Dale. Food was really, really good and by far the most character interaction at any that we did. Id say it was better then chef mickey. We actually had reservations at the fish tank one but switched to garden grill based upon some reviews I read of both.http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/garden-grill/

I tried to get Garden Grill reservations yesterday and there were none for the days I tried.

 

[PIK95]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

When I booked my trip for October 30th, they told me the first day I can call is May 3rd.I just dont know if I can do it at midnight or have to wait

You want me to reserve you something somewhere? Actually I'm not sure that would work. Unless you are there this April.

 

[AcerFC]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

When I booked my trip for October 30th, they told me the first day I can call is May 3rd.I just dont know if I can do it at midnight or have to wait

You want me to reserve you something somewhere?

Thanks but I dont think anyone can book for that far out. But its awesome of you to ask

 

[Snotbubbles]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

When I booked my trip for October 30th, they told me the first day I can call is May 3rd.I just dont know if I can do it at midnight or have to wait

You can only make reservations up to 180 days in advance. You can also do them online.

 

[Godsbrother]

So I'm taking my wife, six y/o boy, and three year old girl. I got two Ohana reservations, Chef Micks, some Norwegian princess lunch in epcott, some epcott restaurant with fish tanks everywhere, and yet another Princess dinner at the Contemp or Floridian. I feel like I should get some dinner with a boy theme for my son. Anybody got anything? We are hitting MK, Epcott, both water parks, and MAYBE hollywood if it's true they have little Einsteins there. I'm saving AK and Downtown for next year. Also does anyone know if there are any other little Einsteins things at disney. My daughter is obsessed. Tia.

Not specifically boy themed - but no princesses. Garden Grill in Epcot if you want characters for your son. Mickey, Pluto, Chip n Dale. Food was really, really good and by far the most character interaction at any that we did. Id say it was better then chef mickey. We actually had reservations at the fish tank one but switched to garden grill based upon some reviews I read of both.http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/garden-grill/

I tried to get Garden Grill reservations yesterday and there were none for the days I tried.

A couple other suggestions for themed restaurants boys would enjoy:T-Rex (Downtown Disney) - DinosaursRainforest Cafe (Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney) - JungleSci Fi Dine-In Theater - Sit in cars in a drive in with clips from Sci-Fi movies and cartoonsWhispering Canyon Cafe (Wildreness Lodge) - western themeCoral Reef (Epcot) - Tables with Aquarium viewSanaa (Animal Kingdom Lodge) - Tables with views of animals

 

[Dragons]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

When I booked my trip for October 30th, they told me the first day I can call is May 3rd.I just dont know if I can do it at midnight or have to wait

You can only make reservations up to 180 days in advance. You can also do them online.

Is that if you're staying on-site? Or does this apply to off-site as well?

 

[Disco Stu]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

When I booked my trip for October 30th, they told me the first day I can call is May 3rd.I just dont know if I can do it at midnight or have to wait

You can only make reservations up to 180 days in advance. You can also do them online.

Is that if you're staying on-site? Or does this apply to off-site as well?

Anyone can make reservations 180 days in advance online. The only difference is that guests staying at Disney-owned resorts may make reservations for their whole vacation (up to 10 days) on the 180th day.

 

[Dragons]

I think I read here that dinner reservations for on-site guests open earlier than for off-site guests. Can anyone clarify this and let me know the timing? We're staying off-site in December and I'd like to make Ohana reservations as soon as I can.

When I booked my trip for October 30th, they told me the first day I can call is May 3rd.I just dont know if I can do it at midnight or have to wait

You can only make reservations up to 180 days in advance. You can also do them online.

Is that if you're staying on-site? Or does this apply to off-site as well?

Anyone can make reservations 180 days in advance online. The only difference is that guests staying at Disney-owned resorts may make reservations for their whole vacation (up to 10 days) on the 180th day.

So I call on 180th day. Disney guests may have up to a 10 day head start. Thanks, that helps.

 

[heckmanm]

When we were at Epcot a few weeks ago, it occurred to me how cool it would be if Circle of Life was a restaurant.

 

[peaces]

Wife called today and got a 8:05 pm reservation at 'Ohana's for May 10th.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Wife called today and got a 8:05 pm reservation at 'Ohana's for May 10th.

I'll be going there on July 9th.

 

[peaces]

Wife called today and got a 8:05 pm reservation at 'Ohana's for May 10th.

I'll be going there on July 9th.

I hope it's good...I'm going based purely on what I've gathered in this thread. Only been to Disney once two years ago.

 

[saintsfan]

I have planned many WDW trips, so I understand most everything, but I have girls. In the next few months, I am going to be planning a trip and my nephew is going with us. He is gonna be 5. He loves the pirates stuff, but looking at the character meals, they all seem to be princesses or other characters. My sister in law's only request was to make sure we do something pirates for her son.

When I was there the last time, there was a Pirates and Princesses party, but it seemed like that just involved Extra Magic Hours and costumes. I was thinking more along the lines of a character meal or something.

What you got, Yankees or any of the other experts???

 

[Disco Stu]

I have planned many WDW trips, so I understand most everything, but I have girls. In the next few months, I am going to be planning a trip and my nephew is going with us. He is gonna be 5. He loves the pirates stuff, but looking at the character meals, they all seem to be princesses or other characters. My sister in law's only request was to make sure we do something pirates for her son.

When I was there the last time, there was a Pirates and Princesses party, but it seemed like that just involved Extra Magic Hours and costumes. I was thinking more along the lines of a character meal or something.

What you got, Yankees or any of the other experts???

There aren't any character meals specifically geared toward boys. No pirates, no Star Wars, no Toy Story.Sounds like he would enjoy the Pirates League.

If he's into Star Wars, you could sign him up for the Jedi Training Academy.

And make sure he gets to meet some of the characters he likes in the parks. Buzz Lightyear is popular with boys that age and can usually be found near the Buzz ride at the MK.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

I have planned many WDW trips, so I understand most everything, but I have girls. In the next few months, I am going to be planning a trip and my nephew is going with us. He is gonna be 5. He loves the pirates stuff, but looking at the character meals, they all seem to be princesses or other characters. My sister in law's only request was to make sure we do something pirates for her son.When I was there the last time, there was a Pirates and Princesses party, but it seemed like that just involved Extra Magic Hours and costumes. I was thinking more along the lines of a character meal or something.What you got, Yankees or any of the other experts???

There is a Pirate version of the Bippity Boppity in the Pirates of the Carribbean ride. He can get all costumed up as a pirate. IF he is dressed up and stays for the show outside of Pirates, they will likely call him up on stage to take part in it. There is also a Pirate ship battle that takes place in the lake by the Boardwalk hotel. Parents do not go on though I think. They have two pirate ships in the lake and the kids help the captain and crew battle the bad pirates. It's supposed to a be a blast but my son hasn't wanted to do it. You have to get reservations for it and I think it's an extra fee.

 

[saintsfan]

Thanks guys. Those are both cool. We should be able to do one of them.

Then, maybe we'll do one of the "non princess" character meals. Chef Mickey's or one of the others. I've always liked Chef Mickey's.

 

[AcerFC]

There is also a pirate ship fireworks thing.

You go out in the lake and a pirate tells stories and then you watch the fireworks from the boat. I'm pretty sure that the picture op is with Hook and Smee before you board

 

[Disco Stu]

I have planned many WDW trips, so I understand most everything, but I have girls. In the next few months, I am going to be planning a trip and my nephew is going with us. He is gonna be 5. He loves the pirates stuff, but looking at the character meals, they all seem to be princesses or other characters. My sister in law's only request was to make sure we do something pirates for her son.

When I was there the last time, there was a Pirates and Princesses party, but it seemed like that just involved Extra Magic Hours and costumes. I was thinking more along the lines of a character meal or something.

What you got, Yankees or any of the other experts???

There is a Pirate version of the Bippity Boppity in the Pirates of the Carribbean ride. He can get all costumed up as a pirate. IF he is dressed up and stays for the show outside of Pirates, they will likely call him up on stage to take part in it. There is also a Pirate ship battle that takes place in the lake by the Boardwalk hotel. Parents do not go on though I think. They have two pirate ships in the lake and the kids help the captain and crew battle the bad pirates. It's supposed to a be a blast but my son hasn't wanted to do it. You have to get reservations for it and I think it's an extra fee.

Is that show still running? They had a great Jack Sparrow back in 2008, but I didn't notice it last year.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

I have planned many WDW trips, so I understand most everything, but I have girls. In the next few months, I am going to be planning a trip and my nephew is going with us. He is gonna be 5. He loves the pirates stuff, but looking at the character meals, they all seem to be princesses or other characters. My sister in law's only request was to make sure we do something pirates for her son.

When I was there the last time, there was a Pirates and Princesses party, but it seemed like that just involved Extra Magic Hours and costumes. I was thinking more along the lines of a character meal or something.

What you got, Yankees or any of the other experts???

There is a Pirate version of the Bippity Boppity in the Pirates of the Carribbean ride. He can get all costumed up as a pirate. IF he is dressed up and stays for the show outside of Pirates, they will likely call him up on stage to take part in it. There is also a Pirate ship battle that takes place in the lake by the Boardwalk hotel. Parents do not go on though I think. They have two pirate ships in the lake and the kids help the captain and crew battle the bad pirates. It's supposed to a be a blast but my son hasn't wanted to do it. You have to get reservations for it and I think it's an extra fee.

Is that show still running? They had a great Jack Sparrow back in 2008, but I didn't notice it last year.

Yup. And yeah, some of the Jack Sparrow's they get a really really good. And knowing Disney, I wouldn't be surprised if one time without announcing it that Johnny Depp actually did it.

 

[AcerFC]

I just read that they have a new interactive game at the Magic Kingdom. It involves cards and using those cards to defeat the evil guys like Cruella. For those going in the near future, let me know how it is

 

[mr roboto]

This kinda sounds like a cult...

 

[stbugs]

I have planned many WDW trips, so I understand most everything, but I have girls. In the next few months, I am going to be planning a trip and my nephew is going with us. He is gonna be 5. He loves the pirates stuff, but looking at the character meals, they all seem to be princesses or other characters. My sister in law's only request was to make sure we do something pirates for her son.

When I was there the last time, there was a Pirates and Princesses party, but it seemed like that just involved Extra Magic Hours and costumes. I was thinking more along the lines of a character meal or something.

What you got, Yankees or any of the other experts???

There is a Pirate version of the Bippity Boppity in the Pirates of the Carribbean ride. He can get all costumed up as a pirate. IF he is dressed up and stays for the show outside of Pirates, they will likely call him up on stage to take part in it. There is also a Pirate ship battle that takes place in the lake by the Boardwalk hotel. Parents do not go on though I think. They have two pirate ships in the lake and the kids help the captain and crew battle the bad pirates. It's supposed to a be a blast but my son hasn't wanted to do it. You have to get reservations for it and I think it's an extra fee.

Is that show still running? They had a great Jack Sparrow back in 2008, but I didn't notice it last year.

Yup. And yeah, some of the Jack Sparrow's they get a really really good. And knowing Disney, I wouldn't be surprised if one time without announcing it that Johnny Depp actually did it.

My youngest boys (4 and 7) loved that show as simple as it was. The guys in the show did a great job when we were there. We went on the PofTC ride a few times. Not the best ride, but they were into PofTC at the time.One other side note. The woman playing Penelope Cruz's character at the ride was very attractive and my 7 year old (and I) enjoyed that a lot! Stranger Tides is long gone now, so not sure if she is still there anymore.