Mocharilla
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2008
Setting the Stage
Last summer, our family of three spent 2 weeks in Florida (which followed 2 weeks in Michigan, a week in San Diego at SDCC, and an extra week I spent in Minnesota on a business trip - I didn’t even remember what my apartment looked like by the time I got home). We spent 10 total days on the Disney property, with six nights of free dining we upgraded to the Deluxe plan because we're crazy like that. We also did two days at Universal and a day at Busch Gardens, so I'll be including photos from Universal in a post. This was our first trip back since our honeymoon and our little one’s first trip since he was a baby (when we got engaged as well), and we were celebrating our eighth wedding anniversary.
Then this past March, we headed out to California for a week to celebrate my college graduation a little early. We caught a Kings game and a Ducks game, spent two days at Magic Mountain, a day at Knott’s Berry Farm, and (most importantly) three days at Disneyland - a first for all three of us!
So why am I only posting about it now? Well, I was in college last year and working 40+ hours for our various student media organizations, and anything that wasn’t directly related to that kind of fell by the wayside. I’ve graduated finally and we’re heading back to WDW next month (this time with my mom, step-dad, and step-brother in tow), so it seemed finally time to get this finished.
Introducing the Cast
MeName: Summer
Age: 28 now, but 27 at the time
Profession: Sports journalist
Favorite Disney Movie: The Little Mermaid
Favorite Pixar Movie: Brave
Favorite Disney Character: Ariel
Favorite Marvel Superhero: Wasp (Janet, not Hope)
Favorite Star Wars Character: Mallatobuck (who our dog is named after)
Favorite Park: Epcot at WDW, DCA at DLR
Favorite Magic Kingdom Attraction: Jungle Cruise
Favorite Epcot Attraction: Journey into Imagination (the original)
Favorite Hollywood Studios Attraction: Tower of Terror
Favorite Animal Kingdom Attraction: Festival of the Lion King
Favorite Disneyland Attraction: Space Mountain
Favorite California Adventure Attraction: Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! or Radiator Springs Racers
Favorite Parade/Fireworks/Explosion Extravaganza: Happily Ever After or World of Color
Favorite Restaurant: Jiko or California Grill
DH
Name: Nic
Age: 28 now and at DLR, but 27 at WDW
Profession: Structural Engineer
Favorite Disney Movie: Big Hero 6
Favorite Pixar Movie: WALL-E
Favorite Disney Character: Captain Jack Sparrow (but only in the first movie)
Favorite Marvel Superhero: Star-Lord
Favorite Star Wars Character: Han Solo
Favorite Park: Epcot
Favorite Magic Kingdom Attraction: Splash Mountain
Favorite Epcot Attraction: Test Track before the newest renovation
Favorite Hollywood Studios Attraction: Toy Story Midway Mania
Favorite Animal Kingdom Attraction: Flights of Passage
Favorite Disneyland Attraction: Space Mountain
Favorite California Adventure Attraction: Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout!
Favorite Parade/Fireworks/Explosion Extravaganza: Illuminations
Favorite Restaurant: California Grill
DS
Name: Jacques
Age: 10 now and at DLR, 9 at WDW
Grade: Fifth now, Fourth at the time
Favorite Disney Movie: Lilo and Stitch
Favorite Pixar Movie: Cars
Favorite Disney Character: Stitch and Pluto
Favorite Marvel Superhero: Rocket Raccoon and Groot
Favorite Star Wars Character: Luke Skywalker
Favorite Park: Epcot for theming and food, Hollywood Studios for rides, California Adventure for DLR
Favorite Magic Kingdom Attraction: Space Mountain
Favorite Epcot Attraction: Test Track
Favorite Hollywood Studios Attraction: Toy Story Midway Mania
Favorite Animal Kingdom Attraction: Expedition Everest
Favorite Disneyland Attraction: Space Mountain
Favorite California Adventure Attraction: Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! or Radiator Springs Racers
Favorite Parade/Fireworks/Explosion Extravaganza: Fantasmic
Favorite Restaurant: California Grill and Ohana
Why the Title?
Since it was my son's first "real" trip (where he was old enough to know what was happening), we stopped at Club Cool on our first day in the parks. He tried the Beverley, of course, and after making a face, he stared at the machine for a minute and said "what the heck, Italy?" This ended up being something of a catchphrase for the trip whenever things would go wrong, especially after the fiasco that was our Via Napoli experience on our first DDP night.
The Main Event
Alright, let’s get to the food, the real reason everyone’s here. We made an effort to use our 18 meal credits mostly on new (to us) restaurants at WDW, though a few we’ve done before. We also didn’t do much in the way of breakfasts, because none of us are particularly fond of breakfast foods (except cereal) and the boys don’t eat eggs.
- Daily Poutine/Aristocrepes/Cookes of Dublin
- La Cantina de San Angel/Katsura Grill
- Leaky Cauldron/Three Broomsticks/WWoHP
- California Grill
- Via Napoli
- Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
- 50’s Prime Time Cafe
- Yak & Yeti
- Boma
- Nine Dragon
- Tokyo Dining
- Biergarten
- Trattoria al Forno
- Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen
- Be Our Guest
- Rose & Crown
- Chefs de France
- Spice Road Table
- Liberty Tree Tavern
- ‘Ohana
- Snacks
- WDW Awards
- Cost Analysis
Disneyland - Red Rose Taverne
- Cafe Orleans
- Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen Express
- Cozy Cone Motel
- Pacific Wharf Cafe/Cocina Cucamonga
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