Monday, August 27, 2012

Most Valuable Tea Party Hostess

About the Resorts in general
How many times have you been to WDW/DL?
 I've never been to DL but have been to WDW 4 times, and will be returning for trip number 5 in December

Are you a driver or a flyer?
I've never been one for long car rides and much prefer taking a magic carpet ride down to WDW

Do you prefer staying off or on Disney property?
While staying off Disney property is very relaxing and may offer more privacy, I really enjoy staying on site for the perks

What resorts have you stayed at?
I've stayed at All Star Music, Movies, Beach Club, and Boardwalk I believe (I feel like I am missing one)

Fav/least fav resort and why?
I haven't stayed at many of the resorts, but of the ones that I have stayed at, I really love the All Star Movies.  I love the Giant Buzz and Woody and all the themed pools.  There are a lot of excellent places to take pictures there, along with all the other All Star Resorts.  I think my least favorite would be the Boardwalk.  I'm not saying it was a bad place to stay, but I was a kid when I was there and I don't remember it being very exciting

What do you look for when picking a resort?
Since this December's trip is the first trip I have planned by myself, I was looking for a few key things.  When I go to WDW, I like to be in the parks for as long as possible and will take full advantage of any night time EMH.  We will pretty much only be sleeping at the hotel, so we didn't need a lot of amenities.  All we wanted was somewhere cheap, well themed, and had the ability to have a refrigerator.  The All-Stars are always a home run!

What kind or resorts do you prefer (value-deluxe) and why?
I am more drawn to the value resorts because they appeal to a wide variety of customers.  For kids, these offer great themes.  For adults on the go, these resorts give you exactly what you need (someplace to sleep) at a low price

When is your favorite time of year to go?
Typically my trips down to WDW have been in summer/fall.  However, I'm very excited to be going in December to get to experience Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  I think this will be a great time to go because all the Christmas Decor will be in full swing and crowds are projected to be low.  If I had to suggest a time for anyone, I would definitely recommend fall/winter.

Do you take advantage of Dining Plans?  Which one do you prefer and why?
I absolutely love the Disney Dining plans because they can save you so much money.  I personally think the Magic your Way Plus Dining (Standard plan) is the way to go.  Although the QS plan also gives you 3 meals, you often don't get to fully experience the "Disney Magic" that the TS restaurants offer.  The plans above standard, in my opinion, seem to take too much time away from the actual parks and focus too much on food.  If I wanted to focus my vacation on food, I would just stay home.  By having the standard plan, our time in the parks is maximized and we still are able to have relaxing time at TS restaurants.

About the Parks in general
What is your favorite park/least favorite theme park and why?
My most favorite park would have to be MK.  I love the excellent themes of each of the lands, and all the different parades and fireworks displays they have.  My least favorite is AK.  Although this is still an amazing park, I feel as though it always gets crowded extremely fast.  Also, with the shortest hours offered, you almost have to have a "game plan" when going to this resort so you don't miss anything

Do you take time to spend at waterparks? If yes, preference?
I haven't been to a water park since I was little, but from what I remember Blizzard Beach was my favorite.  I loved this water park because they had the the Toboggan Races which was always a favorite of me and my dads.
Favorite mode of transportation (monorail, boat, bus, personal car)?
The one thing I can say about staying off property was having a car was very helpful.  We could hit the store for some quick groceries and do what we needed.  However, while staying on Disney property, having a car is a bit of a waste I think (unless you drive your own personal car down there which I don't think I will do again).  Disney offers so many FREE modes of on property transportation, there is really no need to PAY to have a rental.  I love the monorail because it is truly a unique mode of transportation, and just adds to your Disney experience!
Do you take advantage of EMH?  If yes, do you prefer AM or PM EMH?
One reason I love staying on site is that you have access to EMH!  Crowds are typically lower during PM EMH because families with young kids don't tend to stay out as late as those without.  PM EMH all the way!

Ideally, how many days do you think gives you enough time to see/do everything you want to at the parks?
When I planned our trip, I planned each day to maximize out time in each park.  However, after thinking about all the parks have to offer, I wish we were spending more than 7 days 6 nights.  I think the ideal trip would be at least 2 days in each park with a day for DTD  and an "extra" day, leading me to think 10 days is in fact ideal

Inside the parks
If you could only ride one ride in each park what would you ride?
This is a hard question because there are so many great rides, but I do have my favorites.  In Epcot, I run for Spaceship Earth. In MGM the Great Movie Ride is always a must do.  MK is a beeline for the Haunted Mansion.  Finally in AK Kali River Rapids is a soaking good time!

Do you visit the characters?
Most Definitely!  What's the point of visiting the parks if you aren't there to say hello to those who live there!

Do you buy photos from the attractions (or any pics taken by Disney Photographers)/take advantage of Disney’s Photopass(+)?
In the past my family has bought the picture from Chef Mickey's and numerous ride photos.  This year I'm trying out the new PhotoPass+ to save some money on our memories!

Do you have a “system” when choosing which rides to ride and when?
I'd like to think I do.  I love heading right for one "Big Ticket" ride as soon as I get into the park to cut down on wait time later.  After that ride I grab a fast pass for another then ride some rides that I love that don't have fast passes.  The best time to hit the more popular rides is during parades (think about the crowds tied up watching them) and during evening EMH when crowds are limited to only Disney guests

What is your favorite fireworks display and why?
I think there is nothing more magical than Wishes at MK.  Although I've only seen the standard Wishes in person, I've seen the Christmas and Halloween Wishes via podcast and I have to say, for romance, pick standard Wishes.  For fun and excitement, choose Halloween.  Christmas wishes will be a sight to behold during the holiday season!

Do you like watching the live stage shows such as Beauty and the Beast?
Definitely!  I like them because not only are they breathtaking to watch, they also offer a break from all the walking in the parks and typically hold a lot of people.  The arenas are also set up so usually no seat is labelled a "bad" seat

Do collect anything from the parks (Pins, pressed pennies, etc)?
Oh most definitely!  I love my Disney pins as you all know already.  Pressed Pennies are always a nostalgic thing to get also, but I am more prone to lose those in the wash unfortunately.  This year I want to start a Disney Christmas Ornament Collection!

Dining
Do you have a preference of the type of Dining you like (quick vs table)?
I personally like table service better because they are all uniquely themed and offer your feet a break from the constant walking, and help you beat the Florida heat!

Where do you dine most (Resort vs Park)?
I think for quick service, I dine more at the resort before I head out to the parks for the day.  Table Service usually is more magical (IMO) in the parks, although there are some great resort based Table Service restaurants also!

Favorite Restaurants and why?
I personally don't think a trip is complete without Cape May Buffet or Sci-Fi Drive in (based on those I remember going to thus far)

Which do you prefer more-buffets or standard meal?
Honestly, I think it depends on the day and what kind of mood I am in.  I have to say though that I do tend to lean more towards buffets because I like the option to try new foods that I typically wouldn't

In your opinion, which is the better meal-Breakfast or Lunch/Dinner?
Again, I think this depends.  I'm not really a breakfast, but rather more of a brunch girl.  However, a big breakfast is crucial on the day of checkout because typically you need the fuel at the beginning of the day to race through the park to get last minute things done/seen before you go home.  On any other day, I like a nice sit down dinner.

Do you like Character Dining?
I absolutely adore character Dining, and I think it is a must do for all ages!

Do you prefer quiet intimate dining or busy loud dining?
Although a quite, intimate dinner is nice, I sort of like the chaos of busier Disney Dining such as the character dining options.  I find they add an element of "madness" to the trip

What draws you into try a new restaurant (theme, food, price, etc)?
Since I am a fan of the Dining Plans, price really doesn't matter since it is already covered with the plan (however, I think that places that require 2 credits seem wasteful).  When picking the restaurants for our trip this year, we looked at both food and theme.  We wanted to have the unique Disney Dining experiences, but be able to eat food we liked/wanted to try. 

Do you have a specific favorite food you MUST get every time you go?
I have 2 words for you...TURKEY LEGS!  These things are absolutely barbaric yet ridiculously delicious.  An absolute must have!

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