FriedClams Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 We are headed for 4 park days in a week. We've been a couple times in the last few years, so we've done the majors. I'd love recommendations on some out-of-the-way, unique or less advertised things to do. I have a 10 and an 11 year old - and they'll eat anything and try anything. I'll take food ideas, experiences, rides... Our last trip was Mar 2012. Please help make our trip awesome!!! (I'm also doing the Disney Princess Half Marathon - so any tips for that would rock too!) Thanks!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I'm SOOOOO jealous!! I keep hanging out at the Disney website looking for and almost booking a trip. I love disney!!! Is this your first half marathon? I ran my first at Disney and it really is an amazing experience! Disney tips: Get a Dole Pineapple whip in Frontierland. Yum. Visit other hotels on property. It is so much fun to walk around them. We love Animal Kingdom! Eat at Boma. Man. I'm not thinking straight right now! I'll think about this and get back to you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 We were just "stuck" there 5 extra days because of the blizzard. Cat Cora's restaurant at boardwalk was great. Magician shows at night are free on the boardwalk. Rent a surrey bike. Definitely 2nd Boma try the night vision goggles to see the animals Whispering canyon cafe was fun. Wilderness lodge was beautiful check out the geyser. There is a pirate cruise from port Orleans never done it but it sounds fun. Firework cruise Character breakfast at Cape May Cafe was great The Mexican restaurant at Coronado springs was great Have fun! If money were no object I would do the Animal Safari back stage tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 What about the dinosaur cafe? Is that what it is called? My boys loved that....you should book in advance though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Be the magic. :) -Give your kids a stack of Mickey stickers and let them hand them out to random little fussy kids. -Pack glow sticks to share. -Call the phone booths in Great Britain or Canada and have a conversation with the people who answer. Bonus if you pretend to be a princess or other character. Other ideas.... -Get their hair done at the barber shop. They'll do colors and 'pixie dust' for a fraction of what the Pirate League/Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. Not as fancy, but good for older kids. -Look for hidden Mickeys. -Do at least one rope drop. -Get them set up with pin trading. We end up with two sets - a special pin every time we go to the park to save, and a pin or two to trade. -Find the quiet areas. They're sometimes the best - the little alley in Morocco, the zoo-like one in the Animal Kingdom, the theatre on Main Street, the Walt Disney museum in Hollywood Studios. -Get Disney dollars - you can get them at the Disney store or at the bank on Main Street. We gave those to our 10yo, let him wake up each day to a new mini-folder with his spending money, itinerary, and Mickey clue to tell him where we were going (like Safari Mickey on the cover for AK). It kept him from losing/spending all his money at once. -wander the hotels. The Boardwalk always has entertainment out and the rest of them are just lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Look for the Hidden Mickeys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Look for the Hidden Mickeys? All over the parks are Mickey ears woven into the landscape. They're in scrollwork, fake knots on a tree, patterns in the carpet..we like to see how many we can find. There's also finding the child-sized magic. For example, there's a fountain in Fantasyland that has Cinderella in it. If you curtsy, or are a small child standing in front, Cinderella appears to wear a crown. If you stand normal she's just plain Cinderella. There are little tricks like that everywhere...a child sees so much more magic than a grownup ever does. One more special thing to do (if they still do it), is the Kim Possible challenge at Epcot. You get a Fastpass for the challenge, come back, and they'll give you a beeper. The beeper sends you to one of 5 countries to complete small challenges and race against the clock. I think they may be starting to switch to the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom (based on the books) but I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 The new bakery in France has amazing food. Definitely the best quick serve in Epcot. The grilled type sandwich(has a fancy name I don't know) was by far the best thing I ate all vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraswati Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Try to get a reservation at Boma - Flavors of Africa. It's located in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's a buffet, and the food is AMAZING! :drool5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeschoolMamaOfTwo Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Things you may not have done: - Disney Quest - My DS7 and DH LOVED this, spent an entire day there. A voucher came with our package, but will will pay for it next time. - Mini Golf - they have two courses, fun stuff, we did it for the first time last time after going there many times - Exotic Driving Experience - if you have a car fan. They also do ride alongs for kids. - Jedi Training at Hollywood Studios (my kids just did this again and loved it) Eating: - We love Ohana at the Polynesian - Do "The Kitchen Sink" at Beaches and Cream - so fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 We do a tour of the hotels for a change of pace. The kids put a list together of the disney hotels they want to check out and we pick from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I agree....definitely get The Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream. Other fun/special ideas: Do one of the Safari treks at AK. Dine at Be Our Guest restaurant in MK. Eat at Saana with a view of the animals from your table. If you arrive early, you can get a table without reservations. Eat at 'Ohana in the evening, timing it to see the MK fireworks. Get a Photopass and have a lot of fun photographs taken. Have fun! :D Hoop De Doo Revue is SO much fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicagoshannon Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 You could go to one of the water parks. Have you played Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game? Stop by the Fire Station on Main Street and they'll hook you up (it's free). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Well, color me embarrassed!! I didn't see that you had suggested the Hidden Mickeys in your list and I was suggesting this as an activity. :blushing: I just saw the OP and posted, so I didn't see your post; it looks like I was asking what they were! Funny!!! Anyway, they are interesting, aren't they? OP, I think there is a book or pamphlet you can buy (or ask for at the parks... I can't remember). You can also 'make' your own Mickeys by using things in the background of photos, shadows, etc. If you do a google search, you will find lots of info. Apparently, the original imagineers started it as an inside joke, and over the years of renos, it is thought many of them were destroyed before the joke was discovered. I'm glad it has been carried on as it adds mystique to an already awesome time!! :D I didn't know about the other things you mentioned above, though. When we go back, it will probably be without kids, so I may look for some of these things myself!! :coolgleamA: I love Disney! LOL...now I'm slightly heelish! We call out Hidden Mickeys like they're slug-bugs. It's a blast. DH and I are planning fanatics. We've been working on our next Disney vacation since 2010, charting it out and figuring out exactly what we want here and there. Every time we make a deposit in the Disney account we hang out on the Disboards a bit, browse around, try to decide what other special things we can fit in.. -silhouettes? Yep. We've done them every time, ever since I was a baby. -catch the glass blowing demonstration? Maybe. -Disney Florist/Memories by Betsy? Perhaps, better though to wait until a family member goes and spring that magic on them. I love how we can customize everything and still have a really relaxed vacation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Get photopass+ that way you get any dining and ride pics!!! I just found the pics of dd riding space mountain and it is priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Be the magic. :) -Give your kids a stack of Mickey stickers and let them hand them out to random little fussy kids. -Pack glow sticks to share. -Call the phone booths in Great Britain or Canada and have a conversation with the people who answer. Bonus if you pretend to be a princess or other character. Other ideas.... -Get their hair done at the barber shop. They'll do colors and 'pixie dust' for a fraction of what the Pirate League/Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. Not as fancy, but good for older kids. -Look for hidden Mickeys. -Do at least one rope drop. -Get them set up with pin trading. We end up with two sets - a special pin every time we go to the park to save, and a pin or two to trade. -Find the quiet areas. They're sometimes the best - the little alley in Morocco, the zoo-like one in the Animal Kingdom, the theatre on Main Street, the Walt Disney museum in Hollywood Studios. -Get Disney dollars - you can get them at the Disney store or at the bank on Main Street. We gave those to our 10yo, let him wake up each day to a new mini-folder with his spending money, itinerary, and Mickey clue to tell him where we were going (like Safari Mickey on the cover for AK). It kept him from losing/spending all his money at once. -wander the hotels. The Boardwalk always has entertainment out and the rest of them are just lovely. These are great ideas. You win the award for creativity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plateau Mama Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 One more special thing to do (if they still do it), is the Kim Possible challenge at Epcot. You get a Fastpass for the challenge, come back, and they'll give you a beeper. The beeper sends you to one of 5 countries to complete small challenges and race against the clock. I think they may be starting to switch to the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom (based on the books) but I'm not sure. It is now Agent P. We are here now and my kids have done two of the missions. They love them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 when my ds was 8 , we went to the Indiana Jones Stunt show at Hollywood Studios. After the show, everyone usually races off to the next thing. Well ds went down front to the stage where the actors that play Indy, Marian and the bad German guy were just sitting on the edge of the stage hanging out. They spent so much time talking to my ds, they never showed that they were trying to hurry us off. It was ds's favorite memory. So what I am saying is sometimes just take a break and maybe meet some cast members. The Disney employees are the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 When my dds were little, they enjoyed the horse trail at Wilderness Cabins. If your kids are equestrians it won't be any fun. But if they haven't been on horses much, it's a nice little introduction, and very peaceful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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