DISNEY WORLD IN NOV.

Old Jun 5th, 2008, 09:07 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
DISNEY WORLD IN NOV.

Hello Fodorites - We booked Wilderness Lodge for Nov 08' - what can you tell me about the property that the books can't/won't? Any suggestions on new dining? We're on the dining plan but I don't have to stick with it if you suggest a place that is exceptional. This will be my 8th time going, so we've covered alot of dining options. And remember, we're travelling with a 5 yr. old too. I
travelbuff127 is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 10:37 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,549
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
One person's "exceptional" is another's "mediocre" but we have always enjoyed eating at the Flying Fish at the Boardwalk as well as the old reliable Chefs de France in Epcot.

I won't be surprised if you say you already know about both of them but since you asked.

No, neither are "new" but both are consistent.
Dukey is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 10:51 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,880
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
For everything Disney, try the www.disboards.com and www.mousesaver.com both have lots of current info.

Have a GREAT time, I love Disney World.
travelbuff is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 11:24 AM
  #4  
LG2
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
When was your 5-yr-old there last? I'd consider character dining or Hoop Dee Doo. We don't go to WDW for the food.
LG2 is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 11:38 AM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
To LG2 - our 5 yr. old was there for her 2nd birthday and at age 3 1/2 last. This will obviously be her third trip and we have covered almost all the character dining with the exception of HoopDee Doo Revue and Crystal Palace Winnie the Pooh. I already scheduled Winnie the Pooh and agree, I don't go for the dining. I like to refer to the experience as the "Parents bonus" after a whole day in the parks.

To Dukey: I agree with your synopsis on taste and luckily I am aware of both restaurants. Sadly, we had to cancel our reservation at the Flying Fish on our last trip and to no avail could I get into Chef de France last trip or my upcoming one. Bistro will only reserve 30 days out so there is still hope for me there.

Travelbuff: Dishboards and mousesavers are good for other things. I love Fodorites much better as a source of good information.

Thanks to all of you and keep it coming.
travelbuff127 is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 12:00 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If your 5 yr. old is a girl and loves princesses, try the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the Magic Kingdom. It has become less specialized since when it began, but it is still great for little girls.


Trekker5211 is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 12:04 PM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Trekker 5211 - Yes, I do have a daughter, so can you elaborate on this Biddie Biddie Boutique?
travelbuff127 is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 12:42 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Some of our family favorites (we have a 7 year old and 2 year old) are:

Boma's at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Hollywood & Vine in the Studios
Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom
Grand Floridian Cafe for breakfast.

Also for a change of pace try the Trails End at Fort Wilderness--you can take the boat there from the Wilderness Lodge, or the nice path through the woods. You could combine this meal with a wagon ride, attending a campfire, renting bikes, or a boat at the marina, or visiting the horses.
DancingBearMD is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 12:48 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Also consider for your girl the Wonderland Tea Party at the Grand Floridian:

http://allearsnet.com/pl/grandadven.htm

The Wonderland Tea Party is still mentioned on the official Disney site, but so is a princess tea party, so I'm not sure which one or both is currently offered:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw...ssTeaPartyPage
DancingBearMD is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 01:03 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Last November, my 15 and 12 year old princesses and I greatly enjoyed lunch at Akersus in Epcot. Believe it or not, Cinderella was even there! (Bonus: Adults can have a bit of beer or wine to make the afternoon calmer!)

There is a new restaurant at the Contemporary-they just started taking reservations - it's either "Wave" or "The Wave."

Have you been to Mike's Laugh Floor at the Magic Kingdom? Kind of the same concept as Turtle Talk at Epcot.

Toy Story Mania just opened at Hollywood Studios..it looks like an updated version of Buzz Lightyear.

Have you ever eaten at the Kona Cafe in the Poly? My kids really liked it. What is great is that if you are at the MK, it's a great lunch or dinner break to hop on the monorail to the Poly, eat, then return to the park.

There is also a sit down restaurant at Animal Kingdom now.

Have you ever eaten at The Plaza at the MK? It's cute and relatively quiet....great kids menu and great ice cream. It's near the castle.
missypie is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2008, 05:38 PM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
To DancingBearMD- FYI, we're connected in that regard. Additionally, we've done Liberty Tree twice, GF Cafe twice as well, husband didn't care for BOMA menu (my loss!) and this trip we were able to get Hollywood & Vine for the Dinner/Fantasmic package. As for the Wonderland Tea Party, I think that's something a 7 yr oldwould appreciate a little more than a 5 yr. old. So I'll use that that's tip for our next trip!And I don't think our shcedule would allow for a Trails End visit either! Even though it sounds like something I would enjoy most.

Missypie - My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed Akereus on our last trip! We did the breakfast and it was the best one yet!

As for all your other suggestions- I had no idea on some of them. This is my reason for loving Fodorites!

I never thought of the Kona Cafe for a lunch stop - makes perfect sense. And I'll also look into the Wave restaurant at the Contemporary too! Last, we're skipping Animal Kingdom again this time since we were not impressed the first time around.

Missypie, you're a wealth of information! Keep it coming.

travelbuff127 is offline  
Old Jun 6th, 2008, 05:54 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Maybe you could try Boma for breakfast; they have a big spread which is less "African" than at dinner.

You've probably seen it before, but remember the Electrical Water Parade comes by the Wilderness Lodge each night (usually around 9:35, but check the schedule at the resort).

Like your daughter, our kids have been enough that we don't have to rush around to every ride, so we can enjoy some of the other stuff. All of the live performances (the tuba band on Main Street, the acrobats at Epcot's China pavillion, the lady that makes candy animals in Japan; the Morrocan band), and:

At Magic Kingdom: Tom Sawyer Island, Pooh playground (bring a change of clothes so your daughter can play in the water)

At Animal Kingdom (I know you said you aren't going, but I'd encourage you to give it another chance): Rafiki's Planet Watch (including the sound booths, the petting zoo, watching the vets do their work, and the animal presentations done throughout the day). Also Flights of Wonder is a surprisingly good show.

Studios: Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground (could get wet here also); the soundbooths and other stuff in the post-show area of Sounds Dangerous (called SoundWorks; you don't have to go to the show to go in this area); opening the boxes and such near the entrance to Indiana Jones.

Epcot: getting wet in the sidewalk fountains between Future World and World Showcase; the flower gardens in Canada, the little maze in Great Britain, the Viking stuff in the Stave Church in Norway (perhaps more of a boy thing), the gardens in China and Japan, the Kidcot stations at each World Showcase pavillion.

Downtown Disney: Getting wet at the big sidewalk fountain located between the toy store and the Earl of Sandwich; parking at the big lot behind the Cirque show building (instead of fighting the crowds elsewhere) and taking the boat over to the West Side of Downtown Disney.

Are you going Thanksgiving week? If so you'll have a chance to see the Christmas decorations all around.

You'll get a list of activities at Wilderness Lodge when you check in. When you're at the monorail resorts, check their calendars as well. For instance, at the Poly there is a torch lighting ceremony in the evening, and short hula dancing sessions for the kids.
DancingBearMD is offline  
Old Jun 6th, 2008, 06:24 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes, please tell us when in November. The Christmas decorations are all up by the Mnday of Thanksgiving week. The Grand Floridian and a couple of the Epcot area resorts have gingerbread houses (large enough for a person to go into), gingerbread merry go rounds, etc. It's fabulous.
missypie is offline  
Old Jun 6th, 2008, 08:22 AM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
To DancingBearMD and Missypie - thank you, thank you, thank you! We are going mid Nov. and miss all the festivities of holidays. I really wanted to do the walk thru of the gingerbread houses too.
Anyway, don't think I could sell the hubby on BOMA or Animal Kingdom again. he is still talking about the sad safari he dragged us on. I, on the other hand, are still raving about the Lion King show and the Kali Rapids!! I do think we will spend more time in Epcot this round since she is a bit older and we have the luck of her retaining alot more. Anything educational works best for me! Maybe we will do part of one day at Disney Studios, but until she's a bit older, I don't forsee us spending much time there. I do really enjoy Fantastmic though. Thanks again!
travelbuff127 is offline  
Old Jun 6th, 2008, 10:44 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,874
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Studios has that High School Musical block party - is a 5 year old old enough to be into the HSM scene? Yeah, for the little ones at Studios there's the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show, the Muppets attraction, Beauty & the Beast (or whatever the live show is these days.) Have you been to the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" playground? My kids love that.

We aren't huge AK fans either, and we've given it a fair chance (3 visits.) Last time was on Thanksgiving Day, and we devoted the time to see the Nemo show, rode EE a zillion times, rode Dinosaur multiple times, did the Safari, saw the Pocahontis traning show and still ran out of things to do long before our 6:30 Jiko dinner reservation. We actually had time to go back to the Poly, rest for a bit and freshen up before we drove back out there for Thanksgiving dinner.
missypie is offline  
Old Jun 6th, 2008, 10:47 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Actually, the Studios has several things she should enjoy: Beauty and the Beast show, Little Mermaid show, Playhouse Disney Live! and MuppetVision 4D (and if she likes Buzz at the Magic Kingdom, maybe the new Toy Story ride), in addition to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground.

It takes some planning to catch all of the shows, but if you go early one morning and go directly to Playhouse Disney Live, and get Fastpasses (maybe even before you get in the Playhouse line) for Little Mermaid (it's a fairly small theater), you can do it in half a day. Beauty and the Beast is a much larger theater so you can usually just show up there a few minutes in advance. Muppets runs continuously and even if they get a line the theater eats up a big crowd each time.
DancingBearMD is offline  
Old Jun 6th, 2008, 12:38 PM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Here's the link for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw...diBoutiquePage
It is a place where they do little girls' hair and outfit done so that they look like a Disney princess.
Trekker5211 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
henryv
United States
14
Sep 13th, 2011 11:33 AM
musictub
United States
18
Jul 5th, 2010 12:51 PM
moondoggie
United States
10
Dec 13th, 2006 08:26 AM
Scullysioux
United States
7
Mar 28th, 2005 09:49 AM
lucienne78
United States
27
Apr 22nd, 2003 06:41 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -