1 week till my first trip to WDW.........

[Goofster]

So theres 1 week left for me to have my first WDW experiance. Im wondering if there is any must dos for the first timer. I cant wait to ride the TTA(people mover) because being a Disneyland AP I miss it. But what are some of your favorite things to do in the whole resort???? Dining experiances ect....... What are some things I should bring besides the norm?

This is my trip>
Myself and my girlfriend
7 nights 8 days
Pop Century Hotel
Park hoppers(no water park)
Fly in on the 6th at 3:30pm Leave 6:00pm on the 13th
Free Disney Dining Plan(I have most of the sit down meals planned)

Im open to all sugestions and plan to do a report for everyone when I get back.

[dsnylndmom]

Make sure you have as many table service meals planned as you can. We went the first week of free dining plan and the two nights I had nothing scheduled there was literally 2 restaurants in the entire resort, hotels included that weren't booked solid for the evening.

If you have AAA use it for discounts in DTD!

You can pay to have packages shipped home that are large or breakable, totally worth the $. I did with my ornaments and they came exactly 10 days later

Do the little things, one of our best days was the day we played Minigolf at Fantasia Gardens and then too a surrey bike ride around the Boardwalk, it stil makes me laugh thinking about it.

Photopass was great for those pictures infront of the park icons

If you enjoy a cocktail, check out the Beach Buckets at Pleasure Island, I give them

Our favorite meals were Le Cellier, Sci Fi(we just love that place) and Boma

[Spidergrrrl]

I second eating at Sci-Fi - that place is just so much fun! I really enjoyed Fulton's Crab House in DTD, too. I'm really more of a counter-service kind of gal, though - so can't offer much more input there. I thought the Tangierine Cafe in Morocco (Epcot) was pretty good for counter service.

Hmm - this is my short list of "must-do's" at the parks:

Magic Kingdom
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Carousel of Progress (if you're at all nostalgic and miss it from DLR)

MGM-Studios
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Tower of Terror
The Great Movie Ride
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream (if you like film/exhibits)

Epcot
Mission: Space
Test Track
IllumiNations
I haven't had a chance to go on Soarin', but I've heard good things about it.

Animal Kingdom
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest (like Soarin', haven't gone on it, but have heard good things).

Besides that? You'll be there enough days to take a day off from the parks and just explore the area. Ride the monorail to and from the resorts to check them out. Take the ferry to MK (I always love that - very different from DLR and totally magical to me). Poke around Downtown Disney - Ghiradelli Chocolate and the Lego Store are fun.

Most of all though - just have fun!

[Stitchy]

oh, I LOVED Mickey's philharmagic. It was SO cute, our daughter had just turned 3...and she kept trying to grab the gems floating on screen!! But, what trip to the Magic Kingdom would be complete without It's a Small World (lame, but, tradition) and the Haunted Mansion?

[Spidergrrrl]

oh, I LOVED Mickey's philharmagic. It was SO cute, our daughter had just turned 3...and she kept trying to grab the gems floating on screen!! But, what trip to the Magic Kingdom would be complete without It's a Small World (lame, but, tradition) and the Haunted Mansion?

LOL - well, the OP is an AP holder at DL, and I was trying to think of things that were unique to WDW.

[Goofster]

Id really like to hear what the best counter service restraunts are. Heres my table service agenda

8/6/06 Tonys Town Square @ 6:00 PM
8/7/06 Boma @ 7:20 PM
8/8/06 Coral Reef @ 1:20 PM
8/9/06 San Angel Inn @ 7:30 PM
8/10/06 Sci-Fi @ 1:20
8/11/06 CA Grill @ 9:00 PM
8/12/06 OPEN
8/13/06 Crystal Palace @ 9:05 AM

[MickeyMania]

Counter Service is more or less the same around the resort, although some offer larger condiment bars or more extras than others. Tall Tale Inn (Frontierland) is known to be one of these, and Electric Umbrella at Epcot is one that I like because they had more sauces and I dine alfresco looking directly across my table towards Spaceship Earth.

If you like fish & chips in the slightest, the UK pavillion at Epcot has some UK fish & chips chain that does not have any other locations in North America. Quite good, and served to you by an actual Brit no less. It wouldn't be a big deal to anyone who traveled in Europe, I'd suppose, but if you're middle America it might be worth a lunch.

Can't really say there's any bad ones, I've heard bad about MGM's ABC Commisary but can't give any personal evidence. I've eaten at the Pop Century food court as well and I can say it's better yet busier than the food court I had at Port Orleans. If you take advantage of the $12 refillable mugs, you may find yourself returning there quite a bit, so it's worth mentioning.

[Jerren]

Best Counter service? Hmm... They do tend to be very similar, but some are better than others... My picks by park in order of preference.

Magic Kingdom:

• Pecos Bills tall tales cafe (Frontier Land)
• Cosmic Ray's Starlight cafe (Tomorrow Land)
• all others ok, but had bad exp at Pirate y El Perico once so would avoid that one...

Epcot: (So many choices here...)

• The Land Pavilion food court
• Fish and Chips Stand in UK
• Yakatori House in Jappan
• Sommerfest in Germany
• Tangerine cafe Morocco

Animal Kingdom:

• Tusker House - Africa
• Flame tree Bar-B-Que

MGM Studios:

• Studio catering flatbread grill
• Pizza Plannet
• Backlot express

[Jessicalover]

I second eating at Sci-Fi - that place is just so much fun! I really enjoyed Fulton's Crab House in DTD, too. I'm really more of a counter-service kind of gal, though - so can't offer much more input there. I thought the Tangierine Cafe in Morocco (Epcot) was pretty good for counter service.

Hmm - this is my short list of "must-do's" at the parks:

Magic Kingdom
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Carousel of Progress (if you're at all nostalgic and miss it from DLR)

MGM-Studios
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Tower of Terror
The Great Movie Ride
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream (if you like film/exhibits)

Epcot
Mission: Space
Test Track
IllumiNations
I haven't had a chance to go on Soarin', but I've heard good things about it.

Animal Kingdom
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest (like Soarin', haven't gone on it, but have heard good things).

Besides that? You'll be there enough days to take a day off from the parks and just explore the area. Ride the monorail to and from the resorts to check them out. Take the ferry to MK (I always love that - very different from DLR and totally magical to me). Poke around Downtown Disney - Ghiradelli Chocolate and the Lego Store are fun.

Most of all though - just have fun!

Add to DAK's must do Festival Of The Lion King a very entertaining show.
Also take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours. Also If you do Kali River Rapids try it at dusk the mist effect is much cooler. Also Give Rainforest Cafe at DAK a shot for a meal it just fits the theme there. I will 3rd Sci-Fi at MGM did it for the first time at the beguining of the month it was a fun meal. Also if you like Indiana Jones give the stunt show a shot. Also Lights, Motors, Action is worth atleast a one time view. By all means don't miss CoP at MK it's worth seeing and you never know when MK will lose it too.

[Jerren]

Id really like to hear what the best counter service restraunts are. Heres my table service agenda

8/6/06 Tonys Town Square @ 6:00 PM
8/7/06 Boma @ 7:20 PM
8/8/06 Coral Reef @ 1:20 PM
8/9/06 San Angel Inn @ 7:30 PM
8/10/06 Sci-Fi @ 1:20
8/11/06 CA Grill @ 9:00 PM
8/12/06 OPEN
8/13/06 Crystal Palace @ 9:05 AM

Just a FYI, I find the Coral reef to be overpriced and the food was just not that good. (Sorry there are better seafood dishes in Disney for much less elsewhere.) The draw here is the aquarium views so make sure you demand a tank view up front and not to be seated in the back.

Please let me know how the San Angel Inn was I have never eatten there.

[NatdRat]

I have no real credible experience with counter service eateries at the MK. We've always backpacked sandwiches in for lunch and snacks for the whole day. I do, however, second dsnylndmom with her choice of Le Cellier in EPCOT. Really, REALLY good steakhouse with great atmosphere. And coming from a Texan who knows a good steak, the food was a good value for the money (especially the cheese soup).

Also check out Splash Mountain. If its possible try timing the ride with the MK fireworks. There's nothing like viewing the fireworks while riding the log on the outside of the mountain. (of course you miss most of them, but I would hope that you see them from Main Street at another point in your trip)

[dsnylndmom]

I do, however, second dsnylndmom with her choice of Le Cellier in EPCOT. Really, REALLY good steakhouse with great atmosphere. And coming from a Texan who knows a good steak, the food was a good value for the money (especially the cheese soup).

Isn't that soup delicious!!