Anyone Game? It’s my Sep 2013 Blog! Mickey Micro Cosmos Agaricus bisporus #796, 05/23

[ACDSNY]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

That's a long time between potlucks!

In our case it's not long enough.


Well if you skip Hawaii you could add those days to WDW or a split between a few locations.

[mvf-m11c]

You got a good itinerary PiO. 3 days is not a lot of days in Hawaii and I agree with Angela that you could add extra days to your WDW trip.

[franandaj]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

Theoretical (a)Musings about My Itinerary

We're still over a year away from this trip and I can't book anything just yet. Actually - given that franandaj will be booking the WDW component, I won't be booking anything anyway.

However, that doesn't stop me from thinking about what our itinerary could look like and starting to research possible hotels and places of interest.

This is what I've come up with so far:

4 nights in Anaheim. I'm hoping to DisMeet with franandaj, spend at least 2 days in DLR and just get over jetlag and adjust to the US timezone. We normally like to stay at Residence Inn Maingate; purely because they do a hot buffet breakfast, but I'm seriously thinking of shacking up at Fairfield Inn. I'll need to check out the breakfast options at Fairfield Inn and price difference before broaching the subject with DH and DS. They both like the hot breakfast options (and cook your own waffle) at the RIM. Taking away the hot breakfast might just tip them over the edge!

I woudn't trade out for a place without Make it yourself waffles. That is a deal breaker for me!!!!!! However, we can't make waffles when we stay on property, but I know that isn't an option you are considering. I'm guessing you will have a car so it would be nice to meet up at restaurant in Long Beach, I'm sort of leaning toward the Shabu Shabu place that will open up in the Shore later this month. I keep driving by it saying "open, open, open" but you probably didn't have that commercial down under for that reference to make sense to you!

Shabu, shabu would take care of your pesky vegetarian's needs since he could order whatever he wanted and cook it to his heart's content. Me, I just like the beef and the fact that there will be a place only ten minutes away (well maybe 25-30 while we look for parking) but the fact that we don't have to get on the freeway for 20-30 minutes to get there, I keep driving by to see how close to opening it is! [/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

3 nights in UA, maybe in one of the on-site hotels. We are definitely going to be Mickey Cheating with Harry and I've started to take a look at the 3 options and really don't have a clue. I've taken an initial look at the accommodation threads on the UA part of the DisBoards but it just seems really confusing to me. I guess I might need to head to Trip Adviser for some reviews. Anyone have any recommendations?

We have stayed at the Loew's Royal Pacific Hotel once before, it was the most economical and was very nice. It gave us the early entry and front of the line access back in 2008. We are staying there again this year so we can give you report before you really need to book.

We really liked it, the place was close to the parks, we ate a Emirils restaurant and it was fabulous and they had a couple other options that weren't as high end, but we did want the high end restaurant so it worked out for us. WE are doing it again this Fall.

[QUOTE=PrincessInOz;45762339]6 nights at WDW. Thanks for franandaj, we will rent DVC and stay at BCV. I'm still wondering if I can tweak the plans so that we end up with more nights at WDW and this will be something that DH and I will need to work through. Suffice to say, we will be enjoying F&W, rides, Disney and DisMeets here. I think we want to hit a water park and I'd definitely want to go to MNSSHP....but I'm not sure if there will be a party on during this time. [QUOTE]

Well somehow we will all do an afternoon of yummies either in a room or by the pool. Between yours and my culinary skills I think we need to have a meal that is home prepared and enjoyed by all of us, we can all contribute in the manner we can, but I'm sure we can have an afternoon/evening feast for one day that we all participate in. For me that woulld be something more fantastic than any attraction or whatever, to get together as friends and prepare a potluck meal would be the greatest attraction of the day! I actually love preparing meals on vacation because I love to cook and to do it when there is no stress make it even more enjoyable!

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

3 nights in Hawaii. So it turns out at DH isn't exactly set on going to Hawaii afterall. I'm keeping this in the plans as the decision to go here will be flight availability and costs. A stopover option in Hawaii used to be part of the standard air route from Australia to the US. The air route was changed in the late 1990's and now the Hawaii stopover is an expensive add-on. It is almost cheaper to plan a holiday from Australia to Hawaii separately than to include it as a stopover on a US mainland holiday. We'll just wait and see.

So.....any thoughts on hotel options in any of the locales?

Well I think I gave mine....

[franandaj]

Between the last update I have no idea what I wrote...I tried to edit it so many times that I have no idea what I said so take it with a grain of salt. I am trying to go to bed now. good night!

[TXTink]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

Hello!

And thank you! So glad you stumbled on in here and I hope you stick around. Nice to see someone else starting to plan for Oct 2013 and I noticed a couple more PTRs on this section of the boards as well. I'll definitely need to 'stumble' in their PTRs as well.

My camera? Until very recently, I was shooting with the Canon T2i. It is a couple of generations old now....I believe that line is up to T4i.

I'm currently shooting with the Canon 7D, which is what I used for the zoo shots. I had the opportunity to pick this camera body in Hong Kong for a crazy deal.
Thanks for asking.

I know Allan (cafeen) does include his camera gear details in his PTRs/TRs and it is a great idea. I just wasn't sure if there was anyone following my rambles interested enough. I might go update my second post with my camera and lens details next time I have a blog post.





Plenty of room (still) in that blog-wagon!

Thank you for getting back with me on the camera info... you really have me thinking of getting one.

I also love reading about your trip... it sounds wonderful!!

[dgbg100106]

Originally Posted by franandaj

I want to come to Melbourne and have a DISmeet at your house!

me too

[dgbg100106]

Not sure I can add much, but I would forgo Hawaii, if I could go back later and spend more time....

I would add the time to CA or NY myself, the food options and just things to see in NY are amazing. I could spend an entire day in pickle district, or trying out all the dim sum places (might not be a place you want to go) but the sheer amount of food places is amazing...

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by ACDSNY

In our case it's not long enough.

Well if you skip Hawaii you could add those days to WDW or a split between a few locations.

Now....how to convince DH?

Originally Posted by mvf-m11c

You got a good itinerary PiO. 3 days is not a lot of days in Hawaii and I agree with Angela that you could add extra days to your WDW trip.

Thanks Bret. I suspect that if we didn't go to Hawaii that both DH and I would be tempted to go to New Orleans instead....

Originally Posted by franandaj

I woudn't trade out for a place without Make it yourself waffles. That is a deal breaker for me!!!!!! However, we can't make waffles when we stay on property, but I know that isn't an option you are considering. I'm guessing you will have a car so it would be nice to meet up at restaurant in Long Beach, I'm sort of leaning toward the Shabu Shabu place that will open up in the Shore later this month. I keep driving by it saying "open, open, open" but you probably didn't have that commercial down under for that reference to make sense to you!

Shabu, shabu would take care of your pesky vegetarian's needs since he could order whatever he wanted and cook it to his heart's content. Me, I just like the beef and the fact that there will be a place only ten minutes away (well maybe 25-30 while we look for parking) but the fact that we don't have to get on the freeway for 20-30 minutes to get there, I keep driving by to see how close to opening it is!



We have stayed at the Loew's Royal Pacific Hotel once before, it was the most economical and was very nice. It gave us the early entry and front of the line access back in 2008. We are staying there again this year so we can give you report before you really need to book.

We really liked it, the place was close to the parks, we ate a Emirils restaurant and it was fabulous and they had a couple other options that weren't as high end, but we did want the high end restaurant so it worked out for us. WE are doing it again this Fall.



Well somehow we will all do an afternoon of yummies either in a room or by the pool. Between yours and my culinary skills I think we need to have a meal that is home prepared and enjoyed by all of us, we can all contribute in the manner we can, but I'm sure we can have an afternoon/evening feast for one day that we all participate in. For me that woulld be something more fantastic than any attraction or whatever, to get together as friends and prepare a potluck meal would be the greatest attraction of the day! I actually love preparing meals on vacation because I love to cook and to do it when there is no stress make it even more enjoyable!




Well I think I gave mine....

Thanks Alison. I do remember seeing your pictures of Royal Pacific and was really impressed by the rooms there. I'm just wondering about Portofino. As with everything else, it will come down to cost. I'll be keen to see what you think of RPR this year.

Shabu Shabu sounds great for all of us...including the pesky vegetarian.

And yes, cook-in at the BCV is definitely something we should plan at least once!

Originally Posted by franandaj

Between the last update I have no idea what I wrote...I tried to edit it so many times that I have no idea what I said so take it with a grain of salt. I am trying to go to bed now. good night!

Hope you slept well. It made perfect sense to me.

Originally Posted by TXTink

Thank you for getting back with me on the camera info... you really have me thinking of getting one.

I also love reading about your trip... it sounds wonderful!!

Thanks Tink. Glad you've stopped back in!

Originally Posted by dgbg100106

Not sure I can add much, but I would forgo Hawaii, if I could go back later and spend more time....

I would add the time to CA or NY myself, the food options and just things to see in NY are amazing. I could spend an entire day in pickle district, or trying out all the dim sum places (might not be a place you want to go) but the sheer amount of food places is amazing...

Brandi - I would happily spend more time in either location. And after Hong Kong, I'm still not ready to face a dim sum yet. Maybe by 2013.....

[dgbg100106]

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

Brandi - I would happily spend more time in either location. And after Hong Kong, I'm still not ready to face a dim sum yet. Maybe by 2013.....

I can so understand that, when we go visit my dad in Mexico, we eat and eat all the Mexican food we can and when we get home it takes months to look at Mexican food the same!

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by dgbg100106

I can so understand that, when we go visit my dad in Mexico, we eat and eat all the Mexican food we can and when we get home it takes months to look at Mexican food the same!

[YoYoAurora]

PIO, what a great planning report! Love the food porn - some are familiar from another thread and I didn't realize you were the photographer. WOW!

[zanzibar138]

I thought that hotel looked familiar! Lucky you having such a nice work provided weekend - I've never been lucky enough to work for a company that does team building weekends/days/mornings Can't complain too much though I have got some pretty good perks over the years!

And as much as I was encouraging you to go to Hawaii to report on Aulani, I think you should try to skip Hawaii for more days at WDW

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by YoYoAurora

PIO, what a great planning report! Love the food porn - some are familiar from another thread and I didn't realize you were the photographer. WOW!

Thanks Aurora.

Originally Posted by zanzibar138

I thought that hotel looked familiar! Lucky you having such a nice work provided weekend - I've never been lucky enough to work for a company that does team building weekends/days/mornings Can't complain too much though I have got some pretty good perks over the years!

And as much as I was encouraging you to go to Hawaii to report on Aulani, I think you should try to skip Hawaii for more days at WDW

DH was talking about wanting to get to Cape Canaveral again this trip. I'm doing the softly softly approach right now. He's mulling over what he wants to go see. We'll just have to wait and see.

[usnuzuloose]

Cape Canaveral, that would be neat to see. When we came in 06 I wanted to see so much , but alas only so much time..

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by usnuzuloose

Cape Canaveral, that would be neat to see. When we came in 06 I wanted to see so much , but alas only so much time..

I know you're flying in on the 2nd October. When are you leaving?