Disney Itinerary Help 2/4-2/10/10

[Legendary]

Hey All,

 

I was wondering if anyone can offer an input on my Disney Trip based

on the following information. Some important things you ought to

know..

 

We are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas for the duration of

our trip.. from Thursday afternoon February 4th until Wednesday

morning February 10th.

 

We like eating good and have several dining reservations set including

an 8:00 California Grille seating on Friday night, an 8:30 Aloha Dinner

Show seating on Saturday night, and an Artist Pointe reservation at 7:10 on Sunday night. We will need to return to the room every night to change and get ready for dinner.

 

It's my girlfriend's first time to Orlando.. so I certainly don't want

to "rush" through the parks and miss the little things. I would ideally like to hit all 3 of the parks nighttime spectaculars, have nice, sit down lunches some days even though we are on the disney dining plus plan (Le Cellier, PTC, Mama Melroses, Yak n Yeti, Beaches n Cream, etc)

 

Anyway, here's our rough itinerary.. only things set in stone would be

those 3 nighttime dinner ressie's.. schedule dependent on weather.

 

 

Thursday, February 4th: Fly into Orlando at 12:50 & 1:15pm

respectively, utilizing Disney's Magic Express, and heading to AKL. Check in, relax, head to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom. (How long is bus service to MK? How much time should we leave to get to our Dinner Reservations in a timely manner?)

 

No evening plans as of yet.

 

 

Friday February 5th: Epcot (Le Cellier, Tutto Italia -- Opinions?, or Beaches n Cream for lunch via boat service to Yacht n Beach). Dinner at

California Grille at 8pm.

 

No evening plans as of yet.

 

 

Saturday February 6th: Hollywood Studios. Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

at 8:30pm.

 

No evening plans as of yet.

 

 

Sunday February 7th: Magic Kingdom. Dinner at Artist Pointe at 710pm.

 

No evening plans as of yet.

 

 

Monday February 8th: Animal Kingdom (or the day with the nicest

weather) No lunch or dinner plans. Girlfriend FLIES OUT at 7:30pm. Would like to do something nice.

 

 

Okay, now for the questions.

 

 

Based on our tenative schedule and reservations, what night would you

book Cirque du Soleil at Downtown Disney?

 

 

Does anyone know if the $750.00 gift card we are getting upon check-in

is valid on gratuity, alcohol, at the restaurants at The Swan and Dolpin

Hotel Restaurants (bluezoo, Shula's Steakhouse, IL Mulino?)

 

 

Where is Fantasia Gardens located? We have a free round of mini-golf

to kill with the Magic Your Way package we purchased...

 

 

Does anyone have any spa recommendations? Animal Kingdom?

Contemporary? Grand Floridian? Any other notable on property spas?

 

 

As far as watercraft, jet ski, parasailing... is that all available at

the Contemporary or the Grand?

 

 

Thanks in advance for all your help. It is greatly appreciated.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Honestly, on the nights you are having a BIG diner (CA Grill, etc) ... having a sit-down lunch is probably not needed. Unless maybe if you are going to share something or will just be eating at say Sci-Fi.

 

If you are going to be at EPCOT, there are MANY walk-up snack type places in World Showcase you can sample that will give you enough to make you not hungry, but not stuff you will be full at the awesome dinner at CA Grill.

 

I can't really help on the others.

[nay]

The Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of my favorite Disney resorts, and all of their restaurants are awesome. I would recommend trying to fit in time for a meal at at least one of those. Boma and Jiko are at Jambo House and Sanaa is at Kidani Village. I loved the food at Sanaa, and have never seen it too crowded. I would say try going there for lunch so you can see the animals in the daylight - they get fairly close to the windows!

 

Fantasia Gardens mini golf is located right across from the Swan/Dolphin. I've never been there, but it's supposed to be more challenging that the other mini golf course, Winter Summerland, located at Blizzard Beach.

 

Taking the bus to the Magic Kingdom from the AKL is one of the longer bus rides you'll have to the parks, probably around 20 minutes. Bus service can also be hit or miss, so I would leave about an hour before if you have dining reservations.

 

California Grill is excellent, and you can see the Wishes fireworks at the Magic Kingdom from there. I actually enjoy watching those fireworks more from outside the park anyway.

 

I'm not sure what nights Fantasmic is playing, but ever since they've cut back on the schedule, the theatre fills up early. I haven't seen it in a while, but last month my friend got there a little over an hour before show time to get a seat.

 

If you decide to eat at Beaches N Cream, they don't take reservations, so going at an off peak dining time makes it easier.

 

I loved Chefs de France in Epcot. Any day except Sundays are good for lunch, because that's when Remy from Ratatouille is there.

 

Snacking (and drinking) around Epcot is also never a bad idea.

 

Spend some time relaxing at the Animal Kingdom Lodge/Villas. At night at Jambo House, you can look at the animals through night vision goggles. They also have other neat activities throughout the day, such as a brief culinary tour at their restaurants. And you have to try the Zebra Domes! They sell them at the quick service place, Mara, at Jambo House, or at Boma's dinner buffet.

 

Have fun!!

[adeuce02]

Fantasmic has only been playing on sundays and thursdays for like the last three weeks. The times are usually 630 and 8.

[the ghost]

Is Ohana the food that comes with the dinner show? if not I highly recommend it. Also Ill agree with Nay that

Boma is awesome. Jiko is more africa-esque and I have heard it is great, but I think the food is slightly more adventurous. Also, Tapon edo(sp) is my favorite Epcot resturant, however the

desert is nothing special so I recomend going to the French bakery or the Norwegiam bakery for school bread. Also, I don't know if every hotel does this, but at Jambo house they had cups you could purchase for unlimited hotel refils of soda, hot chocolate, and coffee.S

[Legendary]

Thanks Greg, Renee, adeuce, and ghost for all your advice. Especially you, Renee!