Happy Disney trip Dana -some magical tips

November 29, 2008

Dana I have something to do now but will get back to you with rides.

Hope this isn't too late! Best advice for you in two words

FAST PASS! (more on that below)

Here's info on ID tags, restaurants and " fast passes "

Restaurants

Just a few additions to this archive. Don't forget the theme

restaurants in the resorts either where they have two dinner shows.

The Polynesian luau at the Polynesian resort and the funny hoe down

show or Mickey's Backyard Barbeque at Disney's Fort Wilderness.

Also for Thanksgiving we ate for the first time at Narcoossee's at

the Grand Floridian and even though the service and food (known for

their seafood) were great -the best is that if you are there during

the Wishes fireworks they lower the lights and play the show inside

the restaurant and you can watch the fireworks and hear the show from

your table (if you are sitting right in front of the windows that

overlook the castle which is where they seated us) The other

restaurant which is really good for dinner and front row dinner seats

to the fireworks would be the California Grill.

" fast food " at the World Showcase

Also I have about the food from the various countries in the World

Showcase -but don't say much about the " fast food " type eat quick

much cheaper restaurants in the countries as well as the sit down

more expensive hard to get reservations alternative. My favorites

for International fast food are Japan, England and Mexico. My

favorite for quick desserts are France, Norway and Italy -not to say

they aren't just as awesome or better at the main restaurants. Good

thing is that you can grab one or two things and keep walking to

sample foods from other countries -super fun!

Snacks:

Outside of Disney popcorn and of course funnel cakes -if you want to

bring your own snacks in to the park to carry around that's fine with

the park. I have a cooler bag type bag that looks like a pocketbook

that fits up to 4 waters easily but typically I only carry 2 waters

at a time because we park hop so much. Since water is 2 bucks a

bottle at the park...you probably do want to BYOB. I keep a larger

cooler in my car where I keep extra waters and snacks -and if you

want sandwiches and yogurts -etc.

Here's an archive on more:

MAGIC KINGDOM

-more for the magic -but outside of the castle and the Crystal palace

we usually eat at another park.

Cinderella's Royal Table -I'd do dinner here -and need I say more?!!

Breakfast (or lunch) Crystal Palace character dining -both my boys

still love this restaurant. It's a buffet so everyone chooses what

they want.

Dinner Liberty Tree Tavern was my son Dakota's fav for dinner

(character dining) and it's still up there. Family style dining -all

you can eat.

For a snack -Casey's Corner hotdogs are right on main street.

Or the huge turkey legs in Frontierland

Also Disney popcorn is the best in the world! But...it's best in

the Magic Kingdom. But the large plastic bucket -even though Disney

doesn't do " refills " use the bucket and order the small size -and

most will fill it up to the top.

The funnel cakes over in Frontierland -know they are fattening just

like everyone else waiting in line for them!

In Adventure land close to the must do funny Jungle Cruise is the

orange swirl whatever it is -ice-cream or sherbet stuff -in a cup or

cone -either way it's very good.

Best place I think to see the fireworks -on the bridge between

Tomorrowland and the castle -tinker bell " flies " right over your head

and you feel like there are fireworks all around you -it's just

amazing no matter how old you are!!

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

MGM is now Hollywood Studios -lots of fun places to eat here- and

best is that you can do dinner and show for Fantasmic which is in my

opinion the best end of night show out of all the parks..well Animal

Kingdom doesn't have a show because it would scare the animals -also

they close before dark typically.

Not in any order of favorite because we love them all -but probably

our favorite is

'50s Prime Time Cafe -just when you think it's safe not to eat

healthy - " mom " won't let you order desert until you eat your veggies -

and keep your elbows off the table too. A throw back to the Leave it

to Beaver 50s -it's a scream. My boys love the " make your own "

sundae -even though they really are getting a bit old for that at 11

and 13!

Sci-Fi Dine in -they'll try to tell you the tables in the back are

really better than the cars -don't believe it- get a car! A drive in

theater with movies with food -so cool!

Brown Derby of course for finer dining!

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Breakfast at 's Breakfastosaurus (character dining -besides

early and late and the best times to go on the must do Safari ride -

you'll see tons of animals!!!)

We don't eat as much here but typically when we do we go to

Flame Tree Barbecue -kind of what is sounds like- chicken and meat

with corn on the cob and baked beans.

You can always go to

Rainforest Cafe anywhere -and the lines are so long for it here -I'd

head over the Epcot for dinner! But at times if you just want to go

to Rainforest Cafe -it's here in Animal Kingdom.

Oh -and one of my friends who is huge Disney nut (Theresa Ross

MD internist from Brick NJ but don't tell her I'm giving out her fav

restaurant in all of Disney) said that Boma in the Animal Kingdom

Lodge has the best food in all of Disney -and possibly the world. I

still have not tried it because we typically aren't over there at

dinner time -but probably one day will.

EPCOT AND FOOD -TOO MANY TO LIST

Best for last Epcot Center -where to start?!!!

You have to go at least once to Coral Reef- it's so cool but kind of

creepy in that it's a seafood restaurant and it's like eating inside

a huge aquarium. Some great rides in there too like the new Finding

Nemo one.

Tanner's favorite is the Garden Grill which sounds really healthy -

all the veggies are grown right there in Disney which is cool -and

you can take a boat ride to see how they do it. It's a turning

restaurant -family style with character dining. Once in there you

HAVE to do Soarin- it brought tears to my eyes first time I did it -

so gorgeous and multisensory.

World Showcase need I say more?! Whatever food you like go to that

country!

Norway has " princess character breakfast " that we never did but looks

fun -and of course pastries right across the way and the " one " real

ride in the World Showcase is here.

Germany's Biergarten is so fun for dinner (and Maureen they have beer

here too) Which brings me to

England fish and chips are awesome! (you just knew I had to find

some omega 3s while there!) which you can get at the Rose and Crown

but we just typically get them as a snack at the Yorkshire County

Fish Shop in the UK

Cantina de San Angel in Mexico has a great boat cruise and

restaurant -feels like you are outside but you're inside

France -the food -not always my kids favorite however. But you can

go to Crepes for desserts.

I used to like Morocco because it had the show -but last time didn't

like the food as much -perhaps the chef had an off night

Japan we always like hibachi style but same reason as the Rainforest

cafe why we don't always go here

China -most amazing shows outside the restaurant -we don't eat here

often for the same reasons as above.

Italy -ditto

(pssst) I've been told that Le Cellier Steakhouse is the " best "

restaurant in all of Disney by a lady standing in line for popcorn in

back of me the last time I was there (really) -have not verified that

as of yet.

Other places that are my kid's favorite and really fun places to go

for dinner outside the 4 parks but still in the Disney Resort area:

Chef Mickey for character breakfast -my boys still love this one

Polynesian Luau is always fun for dinner and a show

Same goes for the Hoop Dee Doo show and dinner

and Albert in the Grand Floridian if you want a very nice

multi course dinner and are able to spend over one hundred dollars a

person -also don't think kids are allowed. I went there once before

my kids were born and it's nice to do once.

Re: Disney Pass - W

Caroline -please don't feel you have to explain or feel bad that

Disney told you about the pass and encouraged you to use it. It's

there for that reason. When they say those that abuse it they mean

those that rent wheelchairs just to say they need the pass -not

parents of children who 'actually' have special needs. If one feels

they " don't want to " use the pass even if the child would be

entitled to it because they believe that their children are not

meant to enjoy the parks like everyone else -that's their right

too. Again the only exception is when one has a child who has

diagnosed behavioral problems as part of their special needs -I know

for a fact that these parks prefer these parents use the pass for

the " safety " of the others guests in the park because this has come

up before in the group.

Again if you are not sure -any of you can explain your child to them

and the people in guest relations will let you know if that warrants

a pass from them or not. They may ask for medical documentation

too. I'm sure I don't have to say this to any of you but just in

case -I also suggest that when you speak with guest relations you

don't do it right in front of your child. Both of my boys just

think that we have a " fast pass "

Thank you to both and Suzie for clarifying that 'anyone' can

get the fast pass tickets in a variety of ways -and yes if you have

a child that you can run around the park with to collect the tickets

one at a time -sounds like a great activity! Or you can just get

one for the day at Guest Relations.

And there is yet another way to get an auto fast pass at Universal

Studios which we just did recently when family visited us. Suzie

let us know if California is the same -but here in Florida -if you

stay at the Universal hotels (the Portofino is gorgeous and the Hard

Rock is fun) you and your family get an auto " fast pass " to

everything in both parks -Universal and Islands of Adventure. You

can of course choose not to use the pass that they auto give you,

and keep going back to the hotel room as your child tires as

said she thought was a good thing to do -whatever makes you guys

happy.

ID Tags

I kind of recall someone bringing up recently the fear of their

essentially non-verbal child getting lost in a public place -but

couldn't find it when I searched just now. No fear -I have 2 cents

to add anyway!

Yesterday while we were at MGM Studios over by Lights Motor Action

and Honey I Shrunk the Kids, I saw something that may interest some

here. They had the machine they have at places like Pet Smart that

make dog tags, except they didn't call them dog tags, they were in

fun shapes with Disney characters and came in various sizes...and a

wee bit more expensive then the ones you can make at Pet Smart.

(start price was 10 bucks)

They had a photo of them being used as decorations/ID for shoes and

all, but as we all know most of us don't buy them for " fun " , and I'm

sure Disney too is aware of the more serious reason why those

machines are there and why we as parents will be attracted to them.

While most parents won't go to/or think to go to PetSmart for their

kids ID tags -they took away the pet aspect.

I don't recall seeing them before, nor did I notice them at the

Magic Kingdom, Epcot or Animal Kingdom but then again I wasn't

really actively looking for this tag machine. Just great to know

that this group isn't the one group of parents out there who need

creative ways to keep ID on our children in case they get lost!

Couldn't find anything about it online -so must be pretty new and

again don't recall seeing it before.

Here's another one I just found for those that don't know about this:

http://www.whosshoesid.com/

Here's some archives on this topic:

Re: ability to know phone number etc.../ID Bracelets etc.

This topic has come up many times and with many horror stories as to

why to get an ID bracelet. This is why we have resources and

reasons as well as suggestions for ID bracelets in The Late Talker

book.

Vicki, may not need insurance to cover them. ID's don't have to be

costly to be effective -they can be -but in addition to the obvious

ID bracelets -you can use anything to 'make' an ID bracelet -

including the 5 dollar doggie tag from the local pet store attached

to a sneaker shoelace or something.

I do have an archive from a few years ago for those of you who may

or may not

have read The Late Talker. Since my kids

are now a bit older (and speaking of out of the box " IDs " ) I also

have a

suggestion for those of us with older children that works really

well -I recommend looking into it.

A few weeks ago I posted a story about how a child was lost at

Universal and how devastated he was -and how miraculously in that

crazy crowd of people I somehow found his mother.

/message/3790

2

That child looked to be around ten years old. Almost right after

that happened my husband went out and purchased two cheaper Nextel

phones http://www.nextel.com/ for our two boys who are now 8 and 10

years old. Programmed into the phone are all the emergency numbers

our kids would need as a just in case. They both know they are not

allowed to use the phone for anything but an emergency -but the

direct connect/two way or for those who don't know -walkie talkie

aspect -that's free no matter how much it's used. In addition to

peace of mind when we go to places like the theme parks now that

they can no longer get 'lost' Tanner has all of a sudden enjoyed

talking on the phone. Not that he didn't or wouldn't talk on the

phone before -but not much. Then of course there is the 'cool'

factor (something to think of when you have a child with a speech

impairment -even one like Tanner who has lots of friends and isn't

teased) Some of you may think doing this a bit extravagant, but

honestly after paying over 100 dollars an hour (!!) for just one

session

of therapy -the 30 or so bucks a month (!!) for security and

encouraging

more speech sounds like a steal.

Our two boys now have two other friends who have Nextel as well...I

think I smell a trend -someone just has to do the marketing -and not

much!

I tried to contact the inventor of http://www.petsmobility.com/ -

would love to help work on marketing for that concept for children

but he didn't call me back! Hmph. (and tried to secure the domain

name 'kidsmobility' but the owner of petsmobility already had but...I

did secure 'kidmobility' Anyway the inventor of petsmobility must

be thinking, like me and I'm sure others....just watch -you'll see

it in a few

years)

From: " kiddietalk <kiddietalk@...> " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Fri Feb 7, 2003 9:08 pm

Subject: Re: ID Brancelets

Hi Carole!

A few people (including me) just posted some places to find ID

bracelets which you probably read right after you sent your message.

Another place someone suggested about a year ago was using the ID

tags you

can pick up pretty inexpensively at the pet stores which typically

allow you around three lines. You can then attach it to the laces of

the shoes

(near the toes)

I posted a long time before that to have the following information

on ID

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Happy Disney trip Dana -some magical tips

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