It's my Birthday & I Celebrated! Lots of photos, food and fun! Updated 9/23

[smile4stamps]

Better be hungry then......it's for 2 people.......

Ha-Ha... I know... but my friend is allergic to dairy! And that would just be mean to eat something so delicious like that in front of her!

She says she can have a little dairy but I wouldn't want to cause any problems!

 

[kaoden39]

Better be hungry then......it's for 2 people.......

Well, there are refrigerators in the rooms.......

 

[smile4stamps]

Well, there are refrigerators in the rooms.......

Refrigerators wouldn't work very well for this dessert. Caramelized/flambeed bananas over ice cream!

 

[sierranevada]

Subscribing and along for the ride!

So glad that this trip is coming together for you! I have done Ariel's WoC dining a few times and have always like it - the desserts are amazing! Love Cafe Orleans and I like Carnation Cafe for breakfast/brunch - although it is good for lunch too!

Other fav restaurants - Naples, Napa Rose (If not dinner, maybe go in for a drink and dessert?), Steakhouse 55, Ralph Brennan's, Tortilla Jo's.

I am staying at the PPH in August for the first time in about 5 years. Taking my son and 3 of his friends (all teens) and decided that concierge was the way to go to feed those hungry boys! I have to thank Laurie for her great photos of the room since it showed how nicely they have been upgraded!

Have a wonderful time.

 

[smile4stamps]

So I mentioned in another post the restaurants I was wanting to do on this trip. I'm trying to put them into a tentative schedule along with figuring out which days to do the nighttime entertainment.

Currently we arrive on Monday June 6th and should be to the PPH by 2pm at the latest. On a normal day this would mean lots of time to still do stuff but I will have been awake all night after working night shift so I have already warned my friend I may be exhausted... Or I will be so excited that sleep won't matter! Therefor trying to plan this day is difficult.

I am thinking it would be a good day to try and catch the Parade and if I am still awake the Fireworks. The Parade is at 4pm & 6:30pm and Fireworks at 9:30pm.

If my friend is also tired and wants to relax for a bit we can take a nap (If our room is ready) and then do the 6:30pm Parade and 9:30 pm Fireworks. I figure if that is all we are planning on doing we should be able to get some good spots for both! Food wise I am thinking maybe something in DTD when we get there and then a snack or something from a CS for dinner. If we do not go into DL then I was thinking maybe Goofy's Kitchen for dinner.

Tuesday June 7th is a MM. My First! I plan do do attractions for about 3 hours and then make a PS for Minnie's Breakfast. Since that will be later I figure we won't need a lunch and then will do dinner at Cafe Orleans followed by Fantasmic.

Wednesday June 8th is also a MM so will begin with that and maybe grab something from the Main Street Bakery or just some fruit for breakfast and then do an early lunch at Carnation Cafe. Since the parks close early due to a Grad Night I thought this might be a good night for World of Color. I will make a PS for Ariel's Grotto for the Preferred standing area.

Thursday June 9th is also a Grad Night but with no MM so we will be able to sleep in a little longer. I am thinking Big Thunder BBQ for lunch this day and then whatever we feel like for dinner. Possibly something in DTD. Ralph Brennon's Currently has Dueling Piano's on Thursdays and if that continues into the summer that would be something fun to do!

Friday June 10th will be my friends and I's last park day together. The park opens at 9am (due to the Grad Night the night before). Since we will have gotten to bed a little earlier the night before I am thinking of doing Storyteller's at 7am so we are still done with breakfast by park open! Food the rest of the day we will wing when we are hungry.

Saturday June 11th. Kim's departure day. Depending on what time her flight is (It's not booked yet.) I think a good way to end her time there is with breakfast at our hotel at Surf's Up! We will then say goodbye and we will check out of the PPH. She will return home and I will move to a cheaper hotel.

If we do not do the fireworks the first night than we will do those on Tuesday instead of Fantasmic and Fantasmic would fall to Friday. I would prefer to do the fireworks the first night so we can do rides when everyone else is waiting for the night shows on Friday.

Anyone have any other dining suggestions or ways to do the night shows? Is it better to concentrate on the rides on grad nights or waiting for the shows?

 

[smile4stamps]

Subscribing and along for the ride!

So glad that this trip is coming together for you! I have done Ariel's WoC dining a few times and have always like it - the desserts are amazing! Love Cafe Orleans and I like Carnation Cafe for breakfast/brunch - although it is good for lunch too!

Other fav restaurants - Naples, Napa Rose (If not dinner, maybe go in for a drink and dessert?), Steakhouse 55, Ralph Brennan's, Tortilla Jo's.

I am staying at the PPH in August for the first time in about 5 years. Taking my son and 3 of his friends (all teens) and decided that concierge was the way to go to feed those hungry boys! I have to thank Laurie for her great photos of the room since it showed how nicely they have been upgraded!

Have a wonderful time.

Welcome!! I thought about Carnation Cafe for Breakfast as everyone says it is good but I want to try the Baked Potato Soup everyone raves about. Plus my friend's allergies for Wheat, Dairy, and eggs make breakfast hard. I am doing the Character meals but only because they usually offer lots of fruit and usually some meats that she should be able to have.

I really thought hard about concierge but again with my friends allergies it probably isn't worth the $100/night. We can grab some fruit cups for a take away breakfast for around $5

There are just so many food choices to fit in! I will have a few more days after she leaves to add in some more but am thinking more CS than TS those days. Although Napa Rose sounds Heavenly!

 

[kaoden39]

Refrigerators wouldn't work very well for this dessert. Caramelized/flambeed bananas over ice cream!

Good point. I hadn't thought about that.

 

[smile4stamps]

I am so distraught! I used priceline this morning to book my hotel for the 2nd half of my trip. I bid $44/night and it was accepted . But totally not in an area i wanted! I didn't know the area I added to my search included so far away from DL!! I ended up with the Doubletree Orange! It's about 3 miles from DL I guess thankfully they have a free shuttle but it only runs hourly and no continental breakfast. I won't have a car so am hoping I don't end up stranded and can still get to DL at opening.

 

[kaoden39]

That is why I don't like Priceline. That is what I would end up with.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Yikes! As much as I like to save money......I just dont trust those sites.....I'd like to know everything I can about the place I'm reserving....I'm a worry wart & need to handle everything. Hope it works out for you!

 

[smile4stamps]

After reading reviews of the Doubletree I am feeling better about it. All of the reviews say the shuttle is on-time and reliable with friendly drivers. Most of the complaints about the hotel are about parking and since I won't have a car its not an issue.

I will make sure I include a review after my stay. I don't think I could have gotten a better price for any hotel closer and without having to spend money on a shuttle I am saving money there!

 

[kaoden39]

After reading reviews of the Doubletree I am feeling better about it. All of the reviews say the shuttle is on-time and reliable with friendly drivers. Most of the complaints about the hotel are about parking and since I won't have a car its not an issue.

I will make sure I include a review after my stay. I don't think I could have gotten a better price for any hotel closer and without having to spend money on a shuttle I am saving money there!

I think that you got a great deal on your room. We have stayed away from the hubbub over in Orange and it was actually nice at night to be away from it all. It was relaxing.

 

[smile4stamps]

I think that you got a great deal on your room. We have stayed away from the hubbub over in Orange and it was actually nice at night to be away from it all. It was relaxing.

The main concern I had was transportation since I am flying down so I can be there when my friend arrives from Texas. Once I read some reviews that the shuttle is reliable my fears were put aside. The shuttle does only run once an hour so it will take a little planning but I am sure I can make it work.

I do like places that have a continental breakfast and this one does not but I will survive!

It will equal more snacks in the parks!

 

[smile4stamps]

So I have a lot of things I want to do this trip that I haven't taken the time to do other times.

Ride the SS Columbia and Mark Twain
Take in the Billy Hill & the Hillbillies show
Great Moments with Mr Lincoln
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-through
Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin (was closed my last 2 trips)
Animation Academy
Boudin Bakery Tour
Mission Tortialla Factory Tour
Goofy's Sky School
Little Mermaid
Mickey's Soundsational Parade

Things I MIGHT do...
Flag Retreat Ceremony (If I happen to think of it at the right time)
Take a Raft over to Pirate's Lair
Tarzan's Tree House
Main Street Cinema
Games of the Boardwalk
Goldyn Zephyr
Star Tours 2.0 (I know it blasphemy but I remember getting to sick ont he original at WDW I'm not sure if I want to try it!)
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
Sorcerer's Workshop
Magic, Memories & You

Things I haven't done but not sure I actually want to
Innovations
Disney Junior- Live on Stage
Electronica
Jedi Training Academy (I'm to old darnnit!)

 

[smile4stamps]

Five weeks from today I'll be almost getting on a plane to DL and my friend will be halfway there!

So far I've only made the one dining reservation to Ariel's Grotto for the WoC show... I really need to get my butt moving on some decisions!!

 

[kaoden39]

If we get our trip we aren't making any reservations.

 

[smile4stamps]

Michele, would your be going before you AP expires or later in the summer?

 

[kaoden39]

Michele, would your be going before you AP expires or later in the summer?

Unfortunately after. I would rather go sooner but with school it just isn't in the cards.

 

[smile4stamps]

Aww bummer... I think I saw somewhere you AP expires June 13th so I thought if you were going before we could meet up for a drink at the UVA bar! Still good you might be getting to go though!

 

[kaoden39]

Aww bummer... I think I saw somewhere you AP expires June 13th so I thought if you were going before we could meet up for a drink at the UVA bar! Still good you might be getting to go though!

I wish I could do that. I think we could enjoy that. And right now a drink from the UVA sounds wonderful. And I have in my hot little hand a coupon for $30 off at UVA or one of their other places.