AuroraMeansDawn
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2008
Disnerds and Dining Fans! I'm starting my second dining review. Please be patient with me as I've not done one of these since Photobucket stopped allowing third party hosting. I'm still trying to sort out the photo posting process. If there is a hint/tutorial board I'd love to review it. If you want to see my former reviews I was part of the Live Threads from a few years ago and did my first solo review titled "May the Fork Be With You" that is full of red X marks where delicious food porn used to live.
I'm Dawn, a lover of planning and big nerd, tech klutz and frequent lurker and occasional commenter on these boards.
This trip I am planning for 8 days of Disney Dining to celebrate ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
Ok, so technically we are flying out the day after my birthday but in my 50s I am ok with letting that pass a little quietly. I may opt for a birthday button. Still haven't decided. It's not a milestone birthday so...
My husband has a conference at the Gaylord in Orlando in March and he had some frequent flier miles and Hilton Points on hand and we are almost empty nesters with the youngest kiddo graduating college in May and I'm trying to make an art form of the "boondoggle" by flying on points and camping out in his hotel at fun places around the US. Accompanying me on this journey are my DH Jess and my 23 year old college senior Dylan. Dylan wont stay the length of the trip due to school and work commitments.
Here's the BIG BOONDOGGLE PLAN
March 6 fly to Orlando (flying on points)
March 6-10 Doubletree Disney Springs (Staying on Hilton points)
March 11 - Kiddo flies home and we move over to the Gaylord for Jess' convention
March 12-14 Dawn tours solo and flies home tired, full and ready to start planning for next time
.
Our Plans so far and in true DisBoard style very subject to change with an attempt to not repeat places we have tried unless it's a different experience. .
Tuesday 3/6 - arrive, "Linner" at Biergarten No More! Instead we plan to snack at F&G Fest outdoor kitchens around the world.
If you have not seen it yet, here are the menus
http://allears.net/tp/ep/fg18/epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-outdoor-kitchens-2018.htm
Wed 3/7 - Star Wars Guided Tour - 5!hours of geeking out at DHS w/SW themed meal @ Backlot Express (never done this because, well, it's Backlot Express) Super excited about the fireworks. Bummed it no longer includes the Dessert party. We have done it and it was cool. Followed by a last minute add on dinner with Mom and our cousins at the 50s Prime Time Cafe
Thurs 3/8 - Breakfast at Kona, (I've reserved meals here at least three trips that get cancelled for one reason or another and we have a long running family joke that once I get Tonga Toast I'll have no reason to go back to WDW. I plan to order the macademia pancakes just to be safe) Early Dinner at Boathouse (new to us and hearing Lou Mongella practically "Squee" when he mentions it makes this the place for late lunch, well that and proximity to the hotel) and we Edit: (may return to the MK for fireworks unless we are tired and want to chill) WILL return to the MK for fireworks at the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party with Plaza View seating, .
(Update - No Kona. They were too tired. We kept the tradition and ended up canceling it. Boathouse was rescheduled for later in the trip and we did lunch at Tony’s Town Square for the first and likely last time)
Friday 3/9 - Lunch at Satuli Canteen (new to us) and Dinner at Yak and Yeti (not new to us but we love those cream cheese wontons) with Landry Card so no ADR
Sat 3/10 - Kiddo flies home and Mom and Dad rest then early Garden Rocks ADR at Via Napoli (new to us) followed by Starship Concert.
Update - Insert an early Lunch at Boathouse here and some Sunshine Seasons snacks
Sunday 3/11 - Brunch at California Grill (the brunch is new to us) and move over to the Gaylord
Monday 3/12 - Solo Touring for me with Lunch ADR at Be Our Guest(not new to us but I love it and I have this quick service card thing with my package) but still trying to book Lunch with an Imagineer (also not new to me but I enjoyed it and the imagineer changes so its different each time and it's a very pleasant t hing to do when you're solo touring) so I'll change plans if it opens up.
Update - never did get that Dine with an Imagineer ressie but we did tack on dinner at Whispering Canyon at the end of the day. The parks were insanely crowded so it was “run away to a resort to the relative quiet” Yes, WCC was calmer.
Tuesday 3/13 - THIS IS SO WEIRD. I still cant decide what to do this day. I am touring solo. I have a breakfast ADR at BoG in case I get that Lunch with an Imagineer and miss it the day before but I might cancel and go wander through DAK solo and really explore Pandora and meander the paths. I've never loved Animal Kingdom but with Pandora I may want another day to just see what I find and do it at my own pace and sneak into lounges and people watch.
Update - ended up taking the morning off and meeting a local friend at DAK at lunch and had small plates at the Nomad Lounge. So so good! And some snacking and stayed for Rivers of Light. I was beat so this was kind of a fun day to just sit and people watch.
Wednesday 3/14 - Late flight so I'm going to spend a little more time at Disney Springs (I have to try some new spots so I may snack around) and people watch and fly home around 5 pm.
So that's the plan and I think I successfully added a pic. So there's that! I hope you'll bear with me and follow along as this Dining Review Proudly Presents - My Dinner!
I'm Dawn, a lover of planning and big nerd, tech klutz and frequent lurker and occasional commenter on these boards.
This trip I am planning for 8 days of Disney Dining to celebrate ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
Ok, so technically we are flying out the day after my birthday but in my 50s I am ok with letting that pass a little quietly. I may opt for a birthday button. Still haven't decided. It's not a milestone birthday so...
My husband has a conference at the Gaylord in Orlando in March and he had some frequent flier miles and Hilton Points on hand and we are almost empty nesters with the youngest kiddo graduating college in May and I'm trying to make an art form of the "boondoggle" by flying on points and camping out in his hotel at fun places around the US. Accompanying me on this journey are my DH Jess and my 23 year old college senior Dylan. Dylan wont stay the length of the trip due to school and work commitments.
Here's the BIG BOONDOGGLE PLAN
March 6 fly to Orlando (flying on points)
March 6-10 Doubletree Disney Springs (Staying on Hilton points)
March 11 - Kiddo flies home and we move over to the Gaylord for Jess' convention
March 12-14 Dawn tours solo and flies home tired, full and ready to start planning for next time
.
Our Plans so far and in true DisBoard style very subject to change with an attempt to not repeat places we have tried unless it's a different experience. .
Tuesday 3/6 - arrive, "Linner" at Biergarten No More! Instead we plan to snack at F&G Fest outdoor kitchens around the world.
If you have not seen it yet, here are the menus
http://allears.net/tp/ep/fg18/epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-outdoor-kitchens-2018.htm
Wed 3/7 - Star Wars Guided Tour - 5!hours of geeking out at DHS w/SW themed meal @ Backlot Express (never done this because, well, it's Backlot Express) Super excited about the fireworks. Bummed it no longer includes the Dessert party. We have done it and it was cool. Followed by a last minute add on dinner with Mom and our cousins at the 50s Prime Time Cafe
Thurs 3/8 - Breakfast at Kona, (I've reserved meals here at least three trips that get cancelled for one reason or another and we have a long running family joke that once I get Tonga Toast I'll have no reason to go back to WDW. I plan to order the macademia pancakes just to be safe) Early Dinner at Boathouse (new to us and hearing Lou Mongella practically "Squee" when he mentions it makes this the place for late lunch, well that and proximity to the hotel) and we Edit: (may return to the MK for fireworks unless we are tired and want to chill) WILL return to the MK for fireworks at the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party with Plaza View seating, .
(Update - No Kona. They were too tired. We kept the tradition and ended up canceling it. Boathouse was rescheduled for later in the trip and we did lunch at Tony’s Town Square for the first and likely last time)
Friday 3/9 - Lunch at Satuli Canteen (new to us) and Dinner at Yak and Yeti (not new to us but we love those cream cheese wontons) with Landry Card so no ADR
Sat 3/10 - Kiddo flies home and Mom and Dad rest then early Garden Rocks ADR at Via Napoli (new to us) followed by Starship Concert.
Update - Insert an early Lunch at Boathouse here and some Sunshine Seasons snacks
Sunday 3/11 - Brunch at California Grill (the brunch is new to us) and move over to the Gaylord
Monday 3/12 - Solo Touring for me with Lunch ADR at Be Our Guest(not new to us but I love it and I have this quick service card thing with my package) but still trying to book Lunch with an Imagineer (also not new to me but I enjoyed it and the imagineer changes so its different each time and it's a very pleasant t hing to do when you're solo touring) so I'll change plans if it opens up.
Update - never did get that Dine with an Imagineer ressie but we did tack on dinner at Whispering Canyon at the end of the day. The parks were insanely crowded so it was “run away to a resort to the relative quiet” Yes, WCC was calmer.
Tuesday 3/13 - THIS IS SO WEIRD. I still cant decide what to do this day. I am touring solo. I have a breakfast ADR at BoG in case I get that Lunch with an Imagineer and miss it the day before but I might cancel and go wander through DAK solo and really explore Pandora and meander the paths. I've never loved Animal Kingdom but with Pandora I may want another day to just see what I find and do it at my own pace and sneak into lounges and people watch.
Update - ended up taking the morning off and meeting a local friend at DAK at lunch and had small plates at the Nomad Lounge. So so good! And some snacking and stayed for Rivers of Light. I was beat so this was kind of a fun day to just sit and people watch.
Wednesday 3/14 - Late flight so I'm going to spend a little more time at Disney Springs (I have to try some new spots so I may snack around) and people watch and fly home around 5 pm.
So that's the plan and I think I successfully added a pic. So there's that! I hope you'll bear with me and follow along as this Dining Review Proudly Presents - My Dinner!
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