Disney World with Mickey E.
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Client's Code Name - Mickey E. When was your Disney vacation? May 2011 |
How far in advance did you start planning for your trip? What was the planning process like - stressful, simple, overwhelming? In what way was your DVP able to assist you with the planning stage?
We started planning our Disney vacation 2 months in advance. We contacted Amanda and from that moment we knew we were in good hands! Amanda listened to our requirements / desires and was able to tailor a vacation that was best suited to our needs. She was insightful enough to provide details that only an inside Disney specialist could do while at the same time keep the process fun and interactive with us.
From the choice of our stay to the details of our daily itinerary, Amanda provided all the support and planning we needed. Amanda even took care of our dinner reservations and provided our confirmation numbers!! Amanda: you took what we felt was going to be an overwhelming experience and made it simple and exciting - you did the hard part and we got to enjoy the fruits of your labor!!! Thank you!!!
How did you tell your family about the trip? Was it a surprise?
We have a two a 24 year old son, a 22 year old daughter, and a 4 year old little boy! We had taken our oldest two to Disney many years ago (15 to be exact on their 25th anniversary). Landon, our youngest, had seen the commercials on TV and kept mentioning he wanted to see Mickey's house. We had an opportunity to travel in late April / early May (great time to travel by the way) and it was simply great. Our kids had forgotten so much...in fact, they both experienced Disney again for the first time - we all had so much fun in looking forward to and ultimately experiencing Disney once again!
Which Disney Resort did you stay at? What did you think of the resort?
Our family chose, with the help of Amanda, the Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Simply amazing... The staff, from the day we arrived were extremely accommodating and made the trip extra special. Those who took care of us in the room took extra time to fold our towels and wash cloths into kissing swans - an extra touch we appreciated.
We loved the ambience of the grounds - at night it was simply gorgeous! The room was exactly what we needed. All of us had a place to sleep : our daughter and little boy slept on the pull out queen bed and our oldest son slept on the pull out twin. Both of these beds were very comfortable, not what you would expect from pullouts. We got the king bed and it was fantastic. Off our our room was a Savannah view of the landscape, complete with roaming giraffes, ostriches, and other animals. Our little boy just loved it - terrific location for little ones! We would definitely stay here again, but then again, the temptation to try the other resorts is heavy too - so who knows!
What are your family's favorite Disney characters? Did you have interactions with them while on vacation?
Definitely, we sought out Mickey and Minnie Mouse. And then there was Pluto, Goofy, Donald...we love them all! Our little boy got an autograph book and was able to capture a large amount of autographs from the Disney characters. We think his favorite was Buzz Lightyear.
What restaurants did you dine at?
Chef Mickeys was our first restaurant of which Amanda had helped us with reservations. Absolutely fantastic! It was buffet-style and the food was out of this world! And, of course, all of the major characters came out to meet and shake hands with all of us. We got tons of pictures and the characters were a delight with Landon! 5 stars from our perspective! By the way: the dining plan was perfect and certainly the way to go if one is vacationing with Disney!
Our next day was Epcot - we ate at Sunshine Seasons in the land (we got there early, so we got brunch!) Very good!
That evening, we ate at Le Cellier Steakhouse - best filets we've ever eaten. Absolutely hands down the best steak and environment within Epcot!
The next evening featured Boma's at Animal Kingdom Jambo House - Amanda: we got the Zebra Domes in your honor!!! Very very good! The food was amazing - they simply have the best bread pudding ever.
Biergarten Restaurant was our next visit the next day in Epcot - great schnitzel, potato salad (warm) and purple cabbage. And the beer ...it was fantastic! The German entertainment was so fun.
The next day at Magic Kingdom included a late lunch at Crystal Palace - got to see Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eyore, and Piglet - Landon had a blast and the buffet-style food was incredible - again, a not to miss restaurant!
In Animal Kingdom, we took your advice Amanda and had a quick service lunch at Flametree BBQ - ok, we went back there on our last day and ate there again - it was that good! The bbq and the chicken were amazing, not to mention the key-lime pie and chocolate mousse pies.
We changed a few of our reservations because Brittany tried out for the American Idol Experience at HollyWood Studios and got runner-up at the very end of the day - 1 shy of winning the whole thing! So, we changed to eat at the Brown Derby. Great, great place to eat. The filet was out of this world and the desserts - let's just say the creme brulee is a must!
We had a late dinner at Rain Forest Cafe one evening - again fantastic place to eat - the animals come to life every few minutes and it is a wonderful place to pick up some shirts.
We decided to eat at Fulton's Crab House one evening in Downtown Disney - excellent seafood!
Not a single restaurant was a disappointment - again Amanda, thank you so much for setting us up with some incredible places to eat!
What was your family's favorite ride or attraction? And why?
We would have to say the Hollywood Tower Hotel! Great ride - Landon loved it! But we also enjoyed Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom (a favorite ride twice)...
What was the greatest advantage of booking your vacation with a Disney vacation planner?
"Deal with an expert and eliminate head-aches!" You gave us all the information we needed to make it a memorable occasion! Amanda took care of all the bookings, the itineraries, the reservations and confirmations, the set up of the airlines and information, the Express Service from Disney, (although we changed to a private taxi at the last minute of which Amanda gave us a fantastic recommendation: SunRay Transportation: very courteous, timely, and the grocery stop was a big hit - we ate breakfast in our room each morning).
Share one moment during your vacation that will always be a favorite memory.
We bought 3 little Disney buses in Animal Kingdom for our little boy. One bus was a depiction of the regular Disney Bus transportation - it is white with Disney in red letters. Then there's the Disney Cruise Line bus - it is all red. Finally, there's the Magical Express bus - it is blue. The reason this was such a special memory is we kept the buses in the camera bag. Each time we got on a bus to go to our next destination (such as our hotel), Landon would show the buses to the drivers - they all got a big kick out of seeing him show off his buses and play with them between trips!
If you had a funny moment during your trip where you could not stopping laughing, please share.
We were walking down the sidewalk from Kidani to where the buses pick up the guests to take them to the parks. We overheard one of the guests talking with her little boy. The little boy noticed that his mommy had a cigarette in her mouth and said "Mommy, you shouldn't be smoking." Mommy preceded to tell her little boy this (which is hilarious): "Son, this is my 5th day up very early with you and off to another park where we'll walk all day...Mommy deserves a cigarette!" Needless to say, this cracked all of us up!
What was one thing that really surprised you during your vacation?
The towels that were folded into kissing swans was a special moment we had not anticipated - very neat! Also, our little boy was picking up the little Mickey shiny "pixie dust" and a Cast Member noticed it. He pulled out a small envelope filled with the pixie dust and gave it to our little boy - very nice touch!
Did you or anyone in your family have 'tears of joy' during your trip? Share the details.
No tears, but everyone of our kids told us how much they completely enjoyed the trip. Each of the kids loved the restaurants! The timing of the trip was great in the sense that it was not that crowded. The weather was perfect and the dining plan was fantastic! We saw so much and created so many memories!
Did you go through Disney withdrawals when you returned home? What was the best remedy?
Yes, it was sad! The best remedy so far has been to talk about perhaps our next trip there.
Have you started planning your next Disney vacation? What will you do differently next time?
Not just yet, but we definitely want to go back. Differently next time? Probably choose a different place to stay just so we can experience a different but magical place (maybe the Polynesian?). We'll see..
We started planning our Disney vacation 2 months in advance. We contacted Amanda and from that moment we knew we were in good hands! Amanda listened to our requirements / desires and was able to tailor a vacation that was best suited to our needs. She was insightful enough to provide details that only an inside Disney specialist could do while at the same time keep the process fun and interactive with us.
From the choice of our stay to the details of our daily itinerary, Amanda provided all the support and planning we needed. Amanda even took care of our dinner reservations and provided our confirmation numbers!! Amanda: you took what we felt was going to be an overwhelming experience and made it simple and exciting - you did the hard part and we got to enjoy the fruits of your labor!!! Thank you!!!
How did you tell your family about the trip? Was it a surprise?
We have a two a 24 year old son, a 22 year old daughter, and a 4 year old little boy! We had taken our oldest two to Disney many years ago (15 to be exact on their 25th anniversary). Landon, our youngest, had seen the commercials on TV and kept mentioning he wanted to see Mickey's house. We had an opportunity to travel in late April / early May (great time to travel by the way) and it was simply great. Our kids had forgotten so much...in fact, they both experienced Disney again for the first time - we all had so much fun in looking forward to and ultimately experiencing Disney once again!
Which Disney Resort did you stay at? What did you think of the resort?
Our family chose, with the help of Amanda, the Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Simply amazing... The staff, from the day we arrived were extremely accommodating and made the trip extra special. Those who took care of us in the room took extra time to fold our towels and wash cloths into kissing swans - an extra touch we appreciated.
We loved the ambience of the grounds - at night it was simply gorgeous! The room was exactly what we needed. All of us had a place to sleep : our daughter and little boy slept on the pull out queen bed and our oldest son slept on the pull out twin. Both of these beds were very comfortable, not what you would expect from pullouts. We got the king bed and it was fantastic. Off our our room was a Savannah view of the landscape, complete with roaming giraffes, ostriches, and other animals. Our little boy just loved it - terrific location for little ones! We would definitely stay here again, but then again, the temptation to try the other resorts is heavy too - so who knows!
What are your family's favorite Disney characters? Did you have interactions with them while on vacation?
Definitely, we sought out Mickey and Minnie Mouse. And then there was Pluto, Goofy, Donald...we love them all! Our little boy got an autograph book and was able to capture a large amount of autographs from the Disney characters. We think his favorite was Buzz Lightyear.
What restaurants did you dine at?
Chef Mickeys was our first restaurant of which Amanda had helped us with reservations. Absolutely fantastic! It was buffet-style and the food was out of this world! And, of course, all of the major characters came out to meet and shake hands with all of us. We got tons of pictures and the characters were a delight with Landon! 5 stars from our perspective! By the way: the dining plan was perfect and certainly the way to go if one is vacationing with Disney!
Our next day was Epcot - we ate at Sunshine Seasons in the land (we got there early, so we got brunch!) Very good!
That evening, we ate at Le Cellier Steakhouse - best filets we've ever eaten. Absolutely hands down the best steak and environment within Epcot!
The next evening featured Boma's at Animal Kingdom Jambo House - Amanda: we got the Zebra Domes in your honor!!! Very very good! The food was amazing - they simply have the best bread pudding ever.
Biergarten Restaurant was our next visit the next day in Epcot - great schnitzel, potato salad (warm) and purple cabbage. And the beer ...it was fantastic! The German entertainment was so fun.
The next day at Magic Kingdom included a late lunch at Crystal Palace - got to see Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eyore, and Piglet - Landon had a blast and the buffet-style food was incredible - again, a not to miss restaurant!
In Animal Kingdom, we took your advice Amanda and had a quick service lunch at Flametree BBQ - ok, we went back there on our last day and ate there again - it was that good! The bbq and the chicken were amazing, not to mention the key-lime pie and chocolate mousse pies.
We changed a few of our reservations because Brittany tried out for the American Idol Experience at HollyWood Studios and got runner-up at the very end of the day - 1 shy of winning the whole thing! So, we changed to eat at the Brown Derby. Great, great place to eat. The filet was out of this world and the desserts - let's just say the creme brulee is a must!
We had a late dinner at Rain Forest Cafe one evening - again fantastic place to eat - the animals come to life every few minutes and it is a wonderful place to pick up some shirts.
We decided to eat at Fulton's Crab House one evening in Downtown Disney - excellent seafood!
Not a single restaurant was a disappointment - again Amanda, thank you so much for setting us up with some incredible places to eat!
What was your family's favorite ride or attraction? And why?
We would have to say the Hollywood Tower Hotel! Great ride - Landon loved it! But we also enjoyed Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom (a favorite ride twice)...
What was the greatest advantage of booking your vacation with a Disney vacation planner?
"Deal with an expert and eliminate head-aches!" You gave us all the information we needed to make it a memorable occasion! Amanda took care of all the bookings, the itineraries, the reservations and confirmations, the set up of the airlines and information, the Express Service from Disney, (although we changed to a private taxi at the last minute of which Amanda gave us a fantastic recommendation: SunRay Transportation: very courteous, timely, and the grocery stop was a big hit - we ate breakfast in our room each morning).
Share one moment during your vacation that will always be a favorite memory.
We bought 3 little Disney buses in Animal Kingdom for our little boy. One bus was a depiction of the regular Disney Bus transportation - it is white with Disney in red letters. Then there's the Disney Cruise Line bus - it is all red. Finally, there's the Magical Express bus - it is blue. The reason this was such a special memory is we kept the buses in the camera bag. Each time we got on a bus to go to our next destination (such as our hotel), Landon would show the buses to the drivers - they all got a big kick out of seeing him show off his buses and play with them between trips!
If you had a funny moment during your trip where you could not stopping laughing, please share.
We were walking down the sidewalk from Kidani to where the buses pick up the guests to take them to the parks. We overheard one of the guests talking with her little boy. The little boy noticed that his mommy had a cigarette in her mouth and said "Mommy, you shouldn't be smoking." Mommy preceded to tell her little boy this (which is hilarious): "Son, this is my 5th day up very early with you and off to another park where we'll walk all day...Mommy deserves a cigarette!" Needless to say, this cracked all of us up!
What was one thing that really surprised you during your vacation?
The towels that were folded into kissing swans was a special moment we had not anticipated - very neat! Also, our little boy was picking up the little Mickey shiny "pixie dust" and a Cast Member noticed it. He pulled out a small envelope filled with the pixie dust and gave it to our little boy - very nice touch!
Did you or anyone in your family have 'tears of joy' during your trip? Share the details.
No tears, but everyone of our kids told us how much they completely enjoyed the trip. Each of the kids loved the restaurants! The timing of the trip was great in the sense that it was not that crowded. The weather was perfect and the dining plan was fantastic! We saw so much and created so many memories!
Did you go through Disney withdrawals when you returned home? What was the best remedy?
Yes, it was sad! The best remedy so far has been to talk about perhaps our next trip there.
Have you started planning your next Disney vacation? What will you do differently next time?
Not just yet, but we definitely want to go back. Differently next time? Probably choose a different place to stay just so we can experience a different but magical place (maybe the Polynesian?). We'll see..
