"I Want to walk where Walt walked." WDW Nut makes a Pilgrimage-TR Wrap-Up 5/14

[onelilspark]

Click here to jump to the TR



Hi there! My name is Kelly, and I'm a Disney Addict. I've been to WDW well over 30 times (I stopped counting, I honestly have no idea...) We visited Paris when I was 13...of course we went to Disneyland Paris! But I've never been to Disneyland! The place that started it all!

March 2010 will change that

First, your cast...there's me, Kelly. I'll be 25 at the end of February. Then there's my non-Disney-loving boyfriend, he's 25...it's okay, he humors me!
This is us this past October in Epcot during WDW's F&W Festival.


Next, there's the when: March 17-21!

Other than that, I feel like I'm slacking in planning...I know! It's just over 2 months away and I don't have anything planned

So far, our flights have been booked (Jet Blue, arriving mid-day on the 17th and leaving early on the 21st out of Long Beach.) And we booked the Hojo.

Maybe I should start planning???

[DLR29]

YAY! I'm in. I'm always interested in WDW vet point of views. I, being a DLR vet, am planning a trip to WDW for this upcoming June and I feel like I should be planning a ton too! I'm actually really interested in your dining reviews because we'll be using QSDP too. Off to go read them!

And welcome to the DLR boards!

Oh and P.S. I'm going to be at DLR on March 20th too with my high school band!

[MeLaNie9]

Ha - we felt that way too, that we needed to get PLANNING. But, the amount of planing seemingly needed for the WDW visit is simply not necessary for DLR we found. Which was actually quite refreshing!!! I mean, we plan for months and months for our WDW trips and we really didn't do a fraction of that for our 1st trip to DLR - a few days of kicking around the Fantasmic Dessert Package idea was about the extent of it! There was virtually no one at the TS restaurants we went to (including Napa Rose) and so the ADRs were totally unnecessary (which of course we obsess over for WDW trips). And, our visit was relaxed and awesome - I absolutely LOVED DLR
I am sure you will love it too!

[kaoden39]

Hi, I am in for the trip. It's almost time for you to make your ADR's too. March is a pretty good time to go, we have made two trips in March and for the most part they were good.

[onelilspark]

Originally Posted by DLR29

YAY! I'm in. I'm always interested in WDW vet point of views. I, being a DLR vet, am planning a trip to WDW for this upcoming June and I feel like I should be planning a ton too! I'm actually really interested in your dining reviews because we'll be using QSDP too. Off to go read them!

And welcome to the DLR boards!

Oh and P.S. I'm going to be at DLR on March 20th too with my high school band!

Let me know if you need any advice/help with the QSDP I've done it twice now, so I have a pretty good handle on it!

Originally Posted by MeLaNie9

Ha - we felt that way too, that we needed to get PLANNING. But, the amount of planing seemingly needed for the WDW visit is simply not necessary for DLR we found. Which was actually quite refreshing!!! I mean, we plan for months and months for our WDW trips and we really didn't do a fraction of that for our 1st trip to DLR - a few days of kicking around the Fantasmic Dessert Package idea was about the extent of it! There was virtually no one at the TS restaurants we went to (including Napa Rose) and so the ADRs were totally unnecessary (which of course we obsess over for WDW trips). And, our visit was relaxed and awesome - I absolutely LOVED DLR
I am sure you will love it too!

I have a pretty good idea about where we want to eat and what we want to do, but without hours, I don't know how to plan it out!

Originally Posted by kaoden39

Hi, I am in for the trip. It's almost time for you to make your ADR's too. March is a pretty good time to go, we have made two trips in March and for the most part they were good.

I'm currently holding off on reservations until I see hours. We're not really doing dinners, I like doing lunches at the parks instead. When in March did you go??


I have the Unofficial Guide to DLR, we're going on a cruise January 31, so it's my "Cruise reading." But it's taunting me! Sitting there in my pile to packed...I can see it! Oh I want to dig in so bad! (Seriously though...who plans for one vacation while they're ON another?!)

[kaoden39]

I don't remember exact dates but I do know that it was like the 13th thru the 17th. Both times it was in the middle of the month. March tends to be kind of busy so if there is someplace special you want to go like the Carnation Cafe or the Blue Bayou even if it is for lunch you should make the reservations.

[Disney Brat]

I'm in!! I too am a WDW vet, with a trip to Disneyland in Paris when I was also 13! We will be making our first trip to DLR in March! I haven't really done any planning yet either...lol Looking forward to hearing more of your plans!

[kaoden39]

Originally Posted by Disney Brat

I'm in!! I too am a WDW vet, with a trip to Disneyland in Paris when I was also 13! We will be making our first trip to DLR in March! I haven't really done any planning yet either...lol Looking forward to hearing more of your plans!

I am so excited for you. Disneyland has that special magic because it is the first park, and it all started there.

[onelilspark]

Originally Posted by kaoden39

I don't remember exact dates but I do know that it was like the 13th thru the 17th. Both times it was in the middle of the month. March tends to be kind of busy so if there is someplace special you want to go like the Carnation Cafe or the Blue Bayou even if it is for lunch you should make the reservations.

Thanks for the advice! Do you think I'd be okay making the reservation around Feb 8? I'd like to read my Unofficial Guide and wait for the hours to come out before I make the reservation. We'll be back from the cruise on Feb 7.

Originally Posted by Disney Brat

I'm in!! I too am a WDW vet, with a trip to Disneyland in Paris when I was also 13! We will be making our first trip to DLR in March! I haven't really done any planning yet either...lol Looking forward to hearing more of your plans!

Hi there! Hopefully we can help each other out!





So this is my tentative "schedule"...which will probably change 20 times

We get in around noon-ish on Wednesday. We're debating on 3 or 4 day park hoppers. If we get 4 day passes, we'll go into the parks and play a bit. Probably have an early dinner (thinking the Jazz Kitchen?) and then bed early. We'll probably be wiped from the trip!

Thursday, we'll be up super early. This is the day I want to do a character breakfast. I cannot decide where I want to go...any suggestions? With it being early, I'm leaning towards a resort breakfast, maybe Goofy's? We want to do the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour, which should go at 9.

Friday maybe do DCA and Wine County Trattoria for lunch.

Saturday do DL and Cafe Orleans for lunch.

Flight out on Sunday is too early to do anything but get to the airport...and I should probably book that transportation too!

...we've been toying with the idea of doing Napa Rose. We love food! F&W is my favorite time to go to WDW, but the menu at Napa Rose doesn't really appeal to us that much...plus it's very expensive. If we do Napa Rose, I can see doing it on our first full day-Thursday. That's still up in the air.

[DLR29]

Originally Posted by onelilspark

So this is my tentative "schedule"...which will probably change 20 times

We get in around noon-ish on Wednesday. We're debating on 3 or 4 day park hoppers. If we get 4 day passes, we'll go into the parks and play a bit. Probably have an early dinner (thinking the Jazz Kitchen?) and then bed early. We'll probably be wiped from the trip!

Thursday, we'll be up super early. This is the day I want to do a character breakfast. I cannot decide where I want to go...any suggestions? With it being early, I'm leaning towards a resort breakfast, maybe Goofy's? We want to do the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour, which should go at 9.

Friday maybe do DCA and Wine County Trattoria for lunch.

Saturday do DL and Cafe Orleans for lunch.

Flight out on Sunday is too early to do anything but get to the airport...and I should probably book that transportation too!

...we've been toying with the idea of doing Napa Rose. We love food! F&W is my favorite time to go to WDW, but the menu at Napa Rose doesn't really appeal to us that much...plus it's very expensive. If we do Napa Rose, I can see doing it on our first full day-Thursday. That's still up in the air.

On Thursday if you're going to be up super early because of the time change, you might want to do Magic Morning. Check out my thread here to see if it interests you. You will get 1 MM just by getting a 3 or more day park hopper.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675403

[onelilspark]

Originally Posted by DLR29

On Thursday if you're going to be up super early because of the time change, you might want to do Magic Morning. Check out my thread here to see if it interests you. You will get 1 MM just by getting a 3 or more day park hopper.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675403

Oh geez...I hadn't thought of that!!!

[onelilspark]

I think I really need those park hours to come out!

I mean, if MM means we can get in 1 hour early and the park opens at 10, we can probably still use it on Saturday without a problem. And stick to doing the tour on Thursday. BUT if the park is opening at 8am? It would be great to do on Thursday, because we'll probably be up at 5!

.....So many choices!!

[onelilspark]

So I just discovered that Wine County Trattoria will be closed until April. *sigh* Scratch that off the list!!

[onelilspark]

We've decided to do Storyteller's for breakfast. We like the menu and like the served meal over a buffet.

[DizNee Luver]

You'll love the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour, we did this last March & really had a good time. You will get a nice sized lunch after the tour ends....so that takes care of one of your meals!! (big sandwich, fresh fruit, chips & cookie with drink).

I'd suggest you do make Priority Seating (ADR) for any of the restaurants that do this. Mid March the spring breaks are starting to really heat up & you have the potential of the parks being quite busy. (we were there during the same time period you're going this year).

There will be a number of things down for refurbishment (like the entire River's of America) during your trip & so be prepared for that as well. Disneyland is very small & quaint but very magical to us West Coasters......I hope you find that in your visit!!!