I mean, the fact that I have a Blog called “never2old4disney” should be some what of a clue, but I don’t think that I have come outright and said it. So, get ready, here it comes:
I am totally, completely, entirely, absolutely, wholly, fully, utterly crazy about Disney World.
Constantly reading up on every site/ DISBoard/ Blog Disney World related and searching and watching Disney World Tour Vlogs, I just cannot get enough. To my husband’s dismay, you could even say that I am addicted to Adam Hattan‘s, The Tim Tracker & Charlotte Ruff‘s Disney World Vlogs.
The ever so sad reality is that I live possibly in the furthest possible place – Australia. So, accessibility is limited.
Saying that, and thanks to my amazing parents, I did get to experience Disney World twice growing up. That is when I fell in love with Disney World. That love I passed on to my beloved three daughters, and hopefully, if only partially, to my beloved husband.
So, in spite of the distance I try to get to Orlando every few years to get my Disney fix.
Now, I know that Disneyland is closer, but I pledge my loyalty to Disney World. The four parks, Animal Kingdom & Pandora, Magic Kingdom, Epcot – they are my fave.
I won’t deny it, I do love Orlando too. For me it’s a family holiday dream destination. Theme Parks, Water Parks, Kennedy Space Centre, International Drive with entertainment & food, plenty options for shopping lovers and more. Every time we visit we find something more to do.
Pledging my love and loyalty I have a very important announcement to make:
With the countdown showing 195 days to go, we just booked our flights to Orlando (over 25hr flights both ways, OMG).
We have our Art of Animation Magic Your Way Package booked. 7 nights stay & 9 days tickets. I chose not to get the Hopper this visit, it saves us money. So, I just planned our days around that.
We also booked 4 nights at the Polynesian, room only. I have always wanted to stay at the Polynesian. And staying here this time will allow us to do Ohana for breakfast and dinner (my girls just adore everything Lilo & Stitch).
Our Universal Studios package is also booked – 7 nights Hard Rock Hotel club level with theme park tickets. This also includes Unlimited Express passes.
What’s left to do?
Well, we need to book our Sea World stay & tickets. We were thinking of doing Busch Gardens & Kennedy Space Centre too. We are also contemplating whether to rent a car, at least for our week off Disney and Universal sites – not yet decided.
Only several days to go to our ADR bookings – got to get that done…
This is a pretty special trip for us this time. We are celebrating so much – our little ones 12th birthday, our middle ones 18th, my 50th coming up and our 25th wedding anniversary. So, we do want to do some new and special experiences. We’re hoping to book Wanyama Safari & a couple of dessert parties too.
I know I promised you that my next post would be Sea World. Truth be told, I’ve been trying to write the post but it just hasn’t come to me. I don’t know what it is, but it just isn’t happening for me. I promise I will write that post . But at the moment, instead, I decided to write about something else –Disney resort split stay. This, actually, wasn’t something I was aware of until I started planning my latest trip. I really didn’t know that it was an option, or that it was that common. But after some research, I found out that split stays at the Disney resorts are very popular. I was even convinced to change our plans and try out a Disney resort split stay for the first time.
The Grand Floridian Resort
Disney World is enormous, with so many choices of on-site accommodations. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming and hard to decide where to stay. So, instead of making a decision, some prefer to divide their stay between two or more resorts. That is what is known as a Disney resort split stay.
The question is, if a split stay is the right fit for you.
There are a several reasons you may consider splitting your stay at Disney World:
You have your heart set on more than one resort, and can’t make up your mind.
The resort you have your heart set on is a deluxe resort. Staying there for your whole vacation is too heavy on your budget. Splitting your stay will allow you to enjoy the deluxe resort, if only for a shorter stay.
The resort you want isn’t available for the entirety of your stay.
Sometimes your party composition will change, changing the resort priorities with it.
Mixing business and pleasure on one trip – staying for business in one hotel, and changing hotels for pleasure.
Just being adventurous.
Contemporary Resort
Booking your reservation:
You will need to make two separate reservations. For example: staying at AOA for 6 nights and then another 4 nights at the Polynesian, you’ll need to secure two separate bookings, with two reservation numbers, to be entered separately in My Disney Experience. Doing that also means you’ll need to pay two deposits. Make sure to pay attention to the different cancellation windows for each one of the reservations.
The reservations can be made online, just make sure that your second reservation starts on the day that your first one ends. Reading many posts and forums on the matter, many find it easier to make the split stay reservation over the phone (407-W-DISNEY). You can also use the services of a travel agent.
Pop Century Resort
What about park tickets?
When it comes to booking park tickets, the more days you book, the cheaper the tickets will get. If you’re looking to save money, it would be best to attach your tickets for the entire stay to your first reservation. The tickets can be used up to 14 days from time of activation.
By making your second reservation a room only booking, and not splitting your park tickets, you can surprisingly save a small fortune. It’s a fact. I couldn’t believe it myself until I crunched the numbers for our trip. With a split stay of 6 nights at AOA and 4 nights at The Polynesian, when attaching the park tickets to the first booking we will save over $US 1,500, say what??? Yep, with a small movement of numbers from left to right we will be saving a nice sum of money. Savings like that can be very important when talking about a Disney vacation – a money consuming vacation as it is.- See my post on planning our Disney stay.
Art of Animation Resort
Dining plan/ Free dining
In the past, if you wanted to get the dining plan, when splitting your stay, you would have to attach park tickets to each reservation. The Disney policy has recently changed, and now days guest can book the dining plan on both reservations even if their tickets are attached to the first booking. This means, you can enjoy the cheaper tickets when attaching them to your first reservation, and still have dining plans for the duration of your stay.
Saying that, unlike the park tickets, the dining plan is linked to the number of days in each resort. The dining must be added separately to each reservation. Also, you must use your dining credits during your stay in each resort. If booking first resort for 4 days and second resort for 5 days, you need to use your dining credits for the first stay during your stay in the first resort. Dining credits related to the first reservation will expire at midnight on the day you checked out of your first resort.
All Star Movie Resort
What happens with promotions like Free Dining?
To be able to take advantage of a promotion like free dining, you must have park tickets attached to your multiple reservations. This means you won’t be enjoying the savings when attaching tickets to your first reservation. You need to know, that when the free dining promotion is out, you don’t get discounted room rates either. So, even though the free dining promotion is very tempting, you need to make your individual calculation, including your expected dining expenses, with room rates and ticket prices. You may be surprised to find that the promotion is not always worth your while. In your case, it may be more advantageous to enjoy discount room rates, ticket attachment to first reservation and eating as you go.
What happens with my luggage? How do I get from the first resort to the second?
There is no problem to move from one resort to the other. Even if you don’t have your car with you, Disney will take care of your luggage. All you have to do is check-out of your first resort, and bring your luggage to the bell service desk (or have it brought down by the bell boy). Let them know you’re moving to another Disney resort, and they will tag the bags, give you a receipt, and have them transferred to your new resort.
You can go off to enjoy a great day in the park, and return in the afternoon or evening directly to the new resort. Check in, and make your way to the Bell boy service to retrieve your luggage. You can take your luggage yourself or have it brought up to your room.
The bag transfer will usually take several hours, and in most of the cases the luggage will arrive at the new resort mid-day to late afternoon. If there are items you need during the day – keep them with you while the luggage is in transfer.
All Star Sports Resort
How does the split stay effect dining and Fastpass booking windows?
With the fastpass, if tickets are attached to your first reservation and extend the length of your stay, you can make fastpass reservations at the 60 day mark for your entire stay. If tickets are split, the reservations would need to be make separately at 60 day mark of each reservation. When planning to make your dining reservations online, you will be able to make reservations at the 180 day mark for each reservation. If you make the reservations by phone they will, most likely, make your reservations for both consecutive stays.
What about Disney Magical Express?
While on split stay you can take advantage of Disney’s Magical Express. Attach pick up to your first resort and transfer back to airport to your last resort. Make sure they are aware that you will be arriving to one Disney resort and leaving from another.
Coronado Springs Resort
Do you get two Magic Bands, one for each resort? How are they used?
You will be issued two magic bands, as you are booked in two separate holidays. You can consolidate to one band. When checking into your second resort, just ask Guest Services to add the new resort details to your first band. If you have a My Disney Experience account, and both your Magic Bands are connected to your account. Then you should be able to use them interchangeably for your park tickets, charges to your room, Fastpasses and anything else linked through that account. When checking in just make sure both Magic Bands are properly linked to your room key.
Planning your split stay
A split stay is a great way to experience Disney even more. Saying that, you must understand that managing your split stay takes more effort, more attention to details and more energy.
When you plan your split stay, it would make sense for you to visit the parks in the vicinity of the resort location. For example: Staying at AOA and then at Poly, make your Ohana reservations for your Poly resort stay. Smart planning can make up for time lost in the resort transfer process.
Bottom line, it may be harder to plan a split stay, but on the same note, it may well be worth it.
Orlando vacation planning is so much fun. I do tend to call it my ‘Disney’ vacation, and an enormous amount of time does go towards planning the Disney part of the vacation, but all in all, it is an Orlando vacation. 22 days trip (this time), of which 11 are to be spent at Disney. My basic Disney planning is done (number of nights, resorts, restaurants and special events). Now it’s time to tackle the remaining 11 days of our trip.
So, Universal Studios is a must for us. We’re crazy about everything Harry Potter, and as a whole, we really loved Universal Studios Resort last time we stayed. We also made a conscious decision that this time we want to end our trip at Universal, based on our last trip experience.
Our last stay was for 4 nights at Hard Rock Hotel club level. That was the first time we stayed on site at Universal. It was outstanding.
Hard Rock Hotel is an amazing hotel, and their club level is wow. This type of set up really worked for us. You get a nice breakfast spread, water and soft drinks as much as you want. In the afternoon, you’re served afternoon tea with assortment of hot and cold snacks, beer, wine etc., and in the evening, a night snack is up for grabs (they have amazing cookies, especially the white choc. Cookies 😉 ).
Staying on site, at Universal Studios Resort, has its advantages too. Depending on the on-site hotel you choose to stay at, you will enjoy different perks.
Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay Hotel are the top end hotels (the Premier). Royal Pacific and Sapphire Falls are the Preferred hotels. And Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel are the Prime Value range for Universal.
Staying at all on-site hotels you will enjoy:
Early park admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay one hour before park opening;
Complimentary transportation to the parks and City Walk;
Resort-wide charging privileges with the room key;
Complimentary delivery of merchandise bought throughout the Resort to the hotel (very useful);
Complimentary club-to-club access to select Universal CityWalk venues for the length of the stay. Just show the room key to get into the clubs.
CityWalk at night
When staying at the Premier hotels (Hard Rock and Portofino Bay), and also when staying at Royal Pacific Resort, you get two extra perks, that to me, are the bomb:
Free Universal Express Unlimited; and
Priority seating at select restaurants throughout the Resort.
When going during school holidays, or any time the park is crowded, having the Unlimited Express pass is worth its weight in gold. If buying the pass separately, it will cost you, as of today, 89$ per day per person.
I can tell you that we took full advantage of our Unlimited Express pass. We did go during a slow season, but even on the weekend, when the park was full, our longest wait for a ride was less than 10 minutes, and that was on the really packed rides.
So, if you ask me, staying on site at one of the hotels/resorts that reward you with the express pass, is truly worth it. And that is the reason we decided to return to Hard Rock Hotel on our upcoming trip. As I said, it’s a great hotel, you get all the special perks, and it’s within walking distance from all the parks and CityWalk.
You can enjoy the complimentary transportation from the hotel to the parks, but for us, we just enjoyed walking everywhere.
For those not interested in staying on-site, price-wise or otherwise, there are plenty of hotels in the vicinity to choose from.
How long do we stay?
Good question 🙂 . Are a couple of days enough for the two Theme Parks? Well, It can definitely be done in two days. Just how much you will actually fully enjoy it depends on time of year and just how busy the parks are when visiting.
I do recommend that, if possible, you take at least three days for the two parks. This allows you to do both of the parks fully and even get to visit your favourite rides and lands again. And if you have more time on your hands, well, stay longer, enjoy the hotel and resorts, take a day at Volcano Bay, Universal’s new water park, stroll through the Theme Parks, enjoy shopping and great dining at CityWalk, and just have a wonderful time.
Just enjoying ourselves
For our upcoming trip we decided to take it easy at Universal. At first, I was looking at a 6 night stay, giving us 3-4 days spread out in the Theme Parks, a day at Volcano Bay and some free time.
After checking out the pricing, I found that an additional day at Hard Rock Hotel, club level, will cost us an extra 50$. Yes guys, 50$ for one more night, for a family of 5, including club level. Well, what would you do? I don’t think it’s hard to guess what we plan to do…🤑
Where to eat?
Universal Studios Resort has an array of worthwhile restaurants. At CityWalk you will find FishCow, Bubba Gump, Hard Rock Café, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Emeril’s, The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen and many more. There are great restaurants at the hotels and resorts, such as The Kitchen, The Palm, and Wine Riffs at Hard Rock, Mama Della’s Ristorante at Portofino Bay, Emeril’s Tchoup chop and more.
Bubba Gump
There are Character dining options , although the reviews aren’t great, and they seem not to justify their cost. Most, if not all characters attending the meals can be met at the parks.
Mythos at Islands of Adventure is a no-miss, for atmosphere as well as food quality.
There are plenty of dining possibilities in the parks too, most of them are quick service dining options, and most of them are themed according to their location. Leaky Cauldron or The Three Broomsticks at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Duff brewery and Moe’s Tavern, and Krusty Burger at The Simpson’s, The Circus McGurkus Café at Dr. Seuss and so so much more.
Our choice of dining for this time, considering breakfast is covered by club level, are:
Emeril’s in Orlando (at CityWalk) –for a late lunch (dinner is slightly too expensive for my liking) – I just have to try the Banana cream pie.
Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen – Freakshakes and chocolate, who needs anything else?
Leaky Cauldron – we ate at the Three Broomsticks last trip, and this time it will be the Leaky Cauldron.
Mythos – for the atmosphere and good food.
Hard Rock Café – just cause we feel like it ☺️ .
The CowFish – sushi and burgers, how can you go wrong?
This time, we’re going to take it easy. Revisit our favourite rides and lands (everything Harry Potter, for example). Enjoy CityWalk more. Enjoy the Hotel more, and as a general rule, just have a good time, not rushing ourselves.
I recommend that, if possible, you do that during your vacation too. People tend to take their time at Disney World resorts, but rush through Universal Studios. My advice is, when possible, give yourself time at Universal Studios too.
First few times we visited Disney World we were kinda clueless. Of course, we visited the parks and Disney Springs, and enjoyed the Resort we stayed at, but that’s it. With proper research lacking, we were unaware of all the amazing options available for an extra something special at Disney.
Before our last trip to the World I was much more thorough. I made it my mission to properly research the whole shebang, and so I did. It was my husband’s birthday, as well as my middle daughter’s twelfth, and I wanted to do something else, something special. I was blown away with the options available. There are so many special events, parties and experiences at Disney World to choose from. That said, they all cost extra, and most of them don’t come cheap. Some are definitely worth it, some may not be, mostly, it’s a matter of personal opinion.
Seeing the abundance of option, I thought i might concentrate most of the options together in this post for you, to help ya’ll (all that without going into the different tours that are also available).
Special events:
These are seasonal special events , usually either at Magic Kingdom or Epcot. The seasonal parties to celebrate Halloween and Christmas are after dark special events, while the Festivals at Epcot are full day events. The parties are what they call ‘after dark’, and even if you have park tickets for the day, you will need to buy tickets for the party. On the days the parties run, the park closes early for all guests, but if you have tickets to the party you can stay the whole day. Also, the party usually starts at 5 pm, but entrance to party goers starts a couple of hours earlier, so they can enjoy the park and rides even before the special party events (such as special parades, dance parties, trick or treating etc.).
International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot
Running every year since 1995, the International Food and Wine Festival is a yearly event. This year running from August 31st to November 13th 2017. As it’s name, this is a Food and Wine festival, special kiosks are set up around the World Showcase, with food and drinks that reflect the various countries represented in the Festival. Countries and vendors may change from year to year. Admission is part of park admission, but food and certain special activities will cost extra. I haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting during the Festival, but it is definitely something I wish to do in the future.
Epcot food and Wine Festival
Epcot Flower and Garden festival
This annual Festival, usually set in Spring time, March through May, combines beautiful Spring time gardening with good food and plenty of entertainment and special events,
International Festival of the Arts at Epcot
This is a new one, started only January 2017. This coming year it will be running January 12th until Febuary 19th 2018. It’s meant to celebrate art as a whole, but especially Disney art, in the past and present. Guests are surrounded by amazing visions, watch creative processes live, enjoy live shows and excellent food and wine, having a new experience every time they go.
Epcot International Festival of the Arts
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
Just as it sounds, this is a one of a kind, not so scary, Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom. This party usually runs every year from the end of August right through until November 1st, mostly three times a week. This is a wonderful fun event. You can dress up, with certain restrictions, found on the Disney World site . There’s so much going on during the party. You can enjoy trick or treating trails, most rides are still running during the party, there’s an amazing great parade, the Boo to You Halloween Parade, the Villains Spectacular, the Hallowishes Fireworks show and so much more…
I actually discovered this wonderful enjoyable party just before our last trip, and one of my best decisions was to buy the tickets for the party. We actually did the party on the day we arrived. We checked in to our hotel (AOA), got settled, and went off to the Magic Kingdom. Taking advantage of the early admission to the park, we enjoyed the rides, and at five were off to start our trick or treating. The parade is amazing, Hallowishes fireworks show is amazing, it’s all amazing😀 , and to me it’s an experience you would want to enjoy at least once. Unfortunately, our next trip can’t be during that period, so we’ll be missing out on the party. Saying that, I will definitely try to do it again in the future.
Trick or Treating at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Also a seasonal special. The Micky’s Very Merry Christmas Party is, as it sounds, a party celebrating the Winter Christmas holiday season. Starting from November 9th, running through until December 22nd, this party is all about Christmas. It’s amazing how only nine days apart, the park changes from a Halloween celebration, with all the amazing décor, to a full on Christmas celebration. The vibe of the decorations and parade can be caught on the yearly Disney Christmas TV Special, broadcasting from Disney Land and Disney World. At the party you can enjoy the Once Upon a Christmas parade, Mickey’s most merriest celebration – a special holiday stage show, a special Frozen show starring Anna and Elsa, and the Holiday Wishes fireworks show. Just like the Halloween party, special tickets are required for this event.
Christmas decorations at the Magic Kingdom
Dessert Parties:
Dessert Parties are events held in almost every one of the Disney World parks, on fireworks shows nights, binding together an enjoyable dessert party, for us sweet toothers, with special seating or viewing areas for the show. There are different dessert parties at the different locations, they keep evolving and changing. You can even enjoy the dessert parties during the Halloween and Christmas parties (with extra cost, of course). Here’s a current list of the optional dessert parties:
The fireworks dessert party at Magic Kingdom – optional with Plaza Garden viewing or Tomorrowland Terrace viewing. Enjoy great desserts while viewing the fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom.
Frozen Ever After dessert party at Epcot – this is a relatively new one. You can enjoy a wide array of desserts, Frozen inspired, while seated viewing Illumination at Epcot. An added bonus is an extra opportunity to ride the Frozen Ever After attraction after the show ends.
Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – this dessert party is Star Wars themed (surprise surprise). With a wide selection of Star Wars themed desserts, some savory options, and plenty of specialty beverages, with and without alcohol. On top of that you receive a Star Wars novelty (at the moment, it’s a Chewbacca stein). Just like the other dessert parties, there is a special viewing area for the fireworks show. This one is a definite yes for us. I’ve seen the reviews, and I’m planning to book it for our next trip.
Star Wars dessert party
Happy Hallowishes dessert party, fireworks holiday dessert party and Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Holiday Dessert Party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – are the holiday special event dessert parties available.
Special cruises:
Pirates & Pals Fireworks Dessert Voyage – this is a special one. You enjoy a dessert party at the Contemporary Resort, with the company of Captain Hook and Patch, and after you’re escorted out to the boats, and go for a cruise for a view of the fireworks. This one is mostly for the little Pirates. Reading the articles and reviews, it’s not one of the best dessert parties offered, and more of a special pirate experience for the little ones.
There used to be another option – Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise – but at the moment it is no longer available.
Illumination cruises – these are specialty cruises, to book individually. The boats are small, and carry up to 10 people. The price includes the pontoon boat, driver, water and soda, and bagged snacks. You can order Private dining to be delivered to the boat. The boat takes you to Epcot for an excellent view point for Illuminations. We did this one on our last trip. I booked it as a surprise for my hubby’s Birthday. I also had a Birthday cake delivered to the boat. We had the boat to ourselves. It was absolutely amazing. We had the time of our lives. Illuminations is an amazing show, and the view we had was unbelievable. It wasn’t cheap, but in my opinion, it was really worth it.
Special experiences:
Bibbidi bobbidi boutique – This is a real princess/knight experience for the little ones. Set in an enchanted beauty salon, either in Disney Springs (Once upon a Toy Store at marketplace) or at the Magic Kingdom (Cinderella’s castle), to get a magical makeover for young princesses or knights, aged 3 to 12. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is owned by Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, operated by her apprentices – Fairy Godmothers in training. Girls can choose hairstyle and then have make up added on, nail colour and accessories too. You can even add a Disney princess costume (extra cost). Boys can be transformed into a knight. This experience is the just right for your little princess or knight, but be aware, this experience doesn’t come cheap (as of October 2017 the basic package is 64.95$ plus tax, and if you want to add the costume, well then it can jump up to 199.95$ plus tax).
The Pirates League
Join the Pirates league, and transform into a pirate, mermaid, siren, empress or zombie. This experience is for boys and girls, aged 3 and over (including the older boys and girls among us). There are plenty of packages to choose from starting from 19.95$ plus tax and up to 99.95$ plus tax. This is a great fun experience. Not only transforming into a pirate or mermaid or one of your other choices, but also go through an initiation, then it’s time for your oath, and you’re sworn into the Pirates League. At that point you will enter a hidden chamber for a photo opp. On our last trip we did the mermaid package for all my girls (aged at the time: 6, 12, 17). They loved it (and so did we). Going through the makeover was great fun, and the initiation and being sworn in, well, that’s one of those things the girls will remember for years to come. I wholeheartedly recommend this one.
Wanyama Safari
This experience is something I just learnt about lately. In the past it was limited only to those that stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, but as of late it is now open to all. If you’re into wildlife and good food, this experience combines the both. First you get to enjoy a safari ride within the savanna in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and after that you enjoy a dining experience at Jiko, which is considered one of the best restaurants at Disney World. At the moment cost is just over 200$ plus tax per person.
Disney Floral & Gifts
With Disney Floral & Gifts you can surprise your partner or kids with a special Disney gift awaiting in your room on arrival. There is an array of set gift baskets to choose from, different themed baskets, or you can build your own gift basket if you wish to. This, as of most Disney experiences, is not cheap. But if you wish to immerse yourself and your family in just a little more magic, well then, it may be worth it to you and your family.
Those are most of the events, experiences and parties available at Disney World. There are also special tours available at the parks, but I won’t be getting into those.
Halloween at the Magic Kingdom
Yes, you can certainly enjoy Disney World without taking part in the special events, festivals, parties or experiences. Especially when it’s your first visit. But if you’re planning a longer stay at Disney, or if this isn’t your first visit, or even if you justwant to amp up the magic, then go for it.
I seriously contemplated what to write as my next post. On the one hand, I thought to write about special activities, events and parties , as it’s been a bit of an overload of dining in my last few posts. But on the other hand I feel that I have a to finish up on our dining choices. Bottom line, today I’m writing about our favourite quick service (counter service) restaurants. For special activities, events and parties, well, you’ll just have to keep following 😉 .
In the past, when visiting Disney World, we always went with the dining plan. It was the most convenient solution for us. Food prepaid, two meals plus snack plus mug, what else can you wish for?
The only problem was, ten days on we were at least five Kgs heavier – it was actually too much food. And at the end of the day, it was a bit limiting too, having to choose a same number of table service and counter service meals. This time we’re going freestyle, no strings attached, and for us this probably means less counter service meals.
With saying that, there are some counter service restaurants that I personally won’t miss out on, even if it’s just to stop over for a snack.
There are so many options for counter service in the Disney World parks and resorts. In this post I’ll only be writing about our favourites and where we plan to visit on our next trip. The Disney food blog is a good site to find out more information, menus and reviews, AllEars and Touring Plans too.
So, let’s get started:
In Magic Kingdom, we have a few favourites:
Columbia Harbour House – In Liberty Square, this is undoubtedly one of the best counter service restaurants in Magic Kingdom. The food is good, with healthy options, and not what you would call the standard fast food. Shrimps, Lobster Roll, Salmon, good enough quality food at counter service prices. I love the Lobster roll.
Lobster Roll
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café – in Tomorrowland, one of my favourites. I love this one for the atmosphere, and I won’t miss out on Cosmic Ray’s musical entertainment. And if we’re already stopping over, then we might as well sit down for a snack😇 . Now, I know that the reviews are mixed, but I personally do love the chocolate and carrot cakes served at the café.
Have a seat, listen to Cosmic Ray’s performance.
Be Our Guest– Last trip we had dinner at Be Our Guest. This time, we decided to try the lunch, counter service. Even though it’s a counter service lunch, ADR’s are required. The food options are quite interesting, and definitely not the classic quick service regulars. I haven’t tried it yet, but reviews are great and i can’t wait.
Gaston’s Tavern– in the new Fantasyland, a great place to meet Gaston. For me, on our upcoming trip, it’s a must to stop over and try the LeFou’s brew and the Cinnamon Roll, maybe for a late Breaky or afternoon snack.
Epcot:
Karamell Kuche – Germany’s Candy kitchen – this is the place to find everything Caramel. Caramel popcorn, Caramel apples, assortment of caramel cookies, caramel pecan cluster, chocolate (dark or milk) caramel and sea salt and sooooo much more. When at Epcot, this is a compulsory stopover for a family snack break.
Just a couple of the wonderful sweet options,
Sunshine Seasons– this one is a Disney Food Blog recommended, and rightfully so. With no problem to find seating, and such a wide variety of foods to choose for, it’s our Future World counter service choice. Sandwiches, salads, bakery goods, soups, rotisserie chicken, and so so much more.
Animal Kingdom :
Yak&Yetti Local Food Cafes– This is a great quick service option. The cuisine is pan-Asian. Open for lunch and dinner, seating is outdoors (can be problematic when raining). They have great snack options, like fried rice and egg rolls. Also served are beef and chicken dishes. The food is great, a really good value for your money.
Satu’li Canteen – This one is new to us. It’s part of the new Pandora the world of Avatar at Animal Kingdom. Although we haven’t had the pleasure yet, it is a counter service option we definitely intend to try. Reading the reviews, I am allowing myself to recommend it, even if only for the atmosphere and unique experience. The dishes offered are very interesting, not your usual quick service style food. You can build your own bowl by picking your protein (chicken, beef, fish or tofu), adding a base (from Quinoa and Vegetable Salad, Red & Sweet Potato Hash, Mixed Whole Grain & Rice, and Romaine & Kale Salad), and to that you finally add a sauce (Charred Onion Chimichurri, Black Bean Vinaigrette, and Creamy Herb Dressing). Don’t get me started on the desserts offered. They look amazing. The great food options and the unique atmosphere make this one a must for us on our upcoming trip. For a great review see DFB’s full review.
Starring Rolls Café – So, this café is open for breakfast and lunch only, and seating is limited. Serves mainly sandwiches and baked goods. We love the cake and cupcake options, and don’t miss out on it every time we’re there. If you do get to go, try the butterfinger cupcake – it’s the best.
Sweet Spells – Carrot cake cookie – no more words needed.
Carrot cake cookie
Disney Springs:
Cook’s of Dublin – This is a small gem. We found it on our last visit, and intend to return there on our next. The food is good, fresh made, fish & chips, great scallop dish, great hamburgers, and the best pink lemonade.
Scallops, yum…
Resorts:
Art of Animation – Landscape of Flavours – Recommended by DFB and myself. This food court gives many unique food options, including slow cooked tandoori meats, great burgers, including a ‘surf and surf’, build your own pasta, salads, many baked goods, create your own Gelato, and so much more. Lots of seating, and even when full service is usually fast.
Polynesian – Captain Cook’s – this is a good quick service option at The Polynesian Resort. You can find Polynesian style quick service options, baked goods, including unique cupcakes, and you can also find there a cheaper, counter service option the famous Tonga Toast.
Tonga Toast
There are many many more counter service eateries available all over the parks, Disney springs and the resorts. I chose to mention only the ones that we tried, really liked and intend to return to.
Now that we are set with lists of table service and quick service restaurants, next step will be to do some research, find out if there are any special events or special experiences we should make time for when we visit. All about that in my next post. See y’all soon. ☺️
I feel that I ow you all a bit of an explanation. In my last post I, matter of factly, listed the restaurants we wish to ADR (advance dining reservation). No explanation was given to the choices made. Well, today I want to give you the low down on our choices.
These choices were made after much deliberation, and many changes. Sadly, not only is time limited, but there is also just so much you can eat. 😕
My initial list was much much longer. It was a combination of restaurants we’ve been to in the past, and obviously loved, and new restaurants we’d like to try out. The restaurants we chose to return to, well obviously we enjoyed either the food or the experience or both. And the rest of the rest were chosen after much research on the sites, Blogs and forums I’ve shared with you last week. The list was narrowed down and finalised (as of now 😇 ).
So, now to the list. Decisions decisions, how were they made?
Restaurants we choose to return to:
Crystal Palace – Situated in Magic Kingdom, this restaurant is a fave of ours. We make it a point to visit it every time we’re in Disney. We’ve been there for dinner and breakfast (Pooh French toast to die for). It’s a buffet style restaurant. The food is quite good, but what makes it a must for us are the characters. Meeting Pooh, Eeyore, Tiger and Piglet.- Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face. So, no way we’re giving up on this one, and this time back to dinner. There is nothing better than finishing dinner at The Crystal Palace just in time for the fireworks, and this time, for Happily Ever After.
So much love
Be Our Guest – One of the most popular restaurants in Disney World, also in Magic Kingdom. To get ADR’s for this one, you have to make the reservation as soon as it is possible, at the six month mark. This one is for the experience. Set in the Beast’s Palace, there are several dining areas, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. We also got to meet the Beast. On our last visit we were there for dinner, didn’t enjoy the food much, but truth be told, we were in a bit of a mood, after a miserable non stop raining day at the park. For this visit we decided to try out the lunch option. The unique thing about this is that although you need to make an ADR, it’s actually a quick service lunch. Food options look interesting, and we don’t want to miss out on this one.
Great place to meet the Beast
Liberty tree tavern – Ooey Gooey Toffee cake. Nothing else needed to be said. 😄
This is another restaurant at Magic Kingdom we enjoyed in the past, set in a stately- colonial style inn. Food is mainly American style, while dinner is served like a traditional family style Thanksgiving meal. We even got to enjoy dinner there when they still had their character experience (we got to meet Minnie mouse, Goofy, Chip and Dale). Sadly, not an option anymore. But this time we will book it for lunch. The menu has been changed lately, but as long as the Ooey Gooey cake is on the menu, count us in. 😉
Sadly, character dining no longer an option at Liberty Tree Tavern
Beirgarten – Enjoyed this one on our last trip. It was our first time, but had such a good time, we want to repeat the experience. It’s situated in the World Pavilion at Epcot, in Germany, of course. Now, if you are a fan of Oktoberfest festival, you’ll love this one. The food is classic German, buffet style. Tasty, interesting. We really enjoyed the entertainment during the meal, and so did the kids. All in all, a great experience, one we would like to repeat.
50’s Prime Cafe – This one is at Hollywood Studios. As of it’s name, you come here for a 50’s experience. The restaurant is designed like a 50’s home, the tables are mostly set like old kitchen tables, with T.V.s screening old classics. The waitresses are pretty full on. If you’re naughty and don’t finish off your plate, well get ready for a good old tell off (been there, and trust me it is pretty scary😱 ). The food is good old classic American (fried chicken, meat loaf etc.). But I personally return for the milk shakes. OMG, the PB & J mild shake is to die for.
1900 Park – This restaurant is at The Grand Floridian Resort. We didn’t get to go on our last visit, but we have fond memories, and would like to do it again this time. The meal is a buffet style, lots of choice, and all in all, as far as we remember, quite enjoyable. You should read the reviews before deciding, they’re split. But again, the main reason we want to return is actually the character experience. This is the place to meet Mary Poppins, The Mad Hatter and Alice. The characters are wonderful, they made our day. The reason we’d rather do breakfast here is that we don’t really like to split up our days. We feel it’s a bit of a waste of time. Others might not feel the same. Basically, it’s a personal decision, and depends on how long you’re staying, where you’re staying and also you’re food and cost preference.
The characters were amazing
Raglan Road – Another favourite of ours. We go there every single time we visit (last trip we even went twice). It’s an Irish style pub. Great atmosphere, love the service and the food. Our favourite dessert is the Lemon Meringue pie. Last time my little one even got an Irish dancing lesson while there. We still have her certificate.
Irish dancing lesson at Raglan Road
Kona Cafe – One of two restaurants at The Polynesian that we want to eat at. We tried it out first on our last trip and really had a good time. The food is really good, Polynesian style. We liked it so much, that this time we want to book it for dinner and for breakfast (I feel that this time I have to try the famous Tonga Toast).
Tonga toast at Kona Cafe
Oh boy, writing this post, I suddenly realise just how many restaurants we actually chose to return to.
Restaurants we want to try out:
Yak & Yeti – This one is at Animal Kingdom. Pan Asian restaurant. Food looks good. Reviews are great. I did have ADR’s for our last trip, but we had to cancel and eventually didn’t get to go. Totally want to try it out this time.
Tusker House – Another Animal Kingdom restaurant. A character dining experience. This is an African flavoured Buffet, placed in a colourful Harambe marketplace. Beyond the favourable food reviews, you get to meet Safari Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and friends. Doing lots of character meals this time, and loving it.
Ohana – Ohana at The Polynesian. A Hawaiian style meal. Both dinner and breakfast seem promising. Breakfast is a character meal, meeting Lilo and Stitch (looove them). Food is served to the tables, and as far as I can see (lots and lots of reading), it looks delicious.
The Garden Grill – Situated at Epcot, this restaurant is not only a character meal, but also a one in a kind experience. We get to meat Chip and Dale, enjoy a family style meal (food served to the tables), all while the dining room revolves around views from Living with the Land. On this one I preferred the breakfast option (food wise and time wise).
Garden Grill Cinnamon buns
OK, so that’s our finalised list (I think). But there are so many more dining options around. It all depends on the type of food you like and the experience you are looking for. There are a few we had to scratch, even though we enjoyed them in the past, like Akershush (a princess experience), Coral Reef, and The Maya Grill, for example.
OMG, so much food talk – it’s making me hungry… Can’t wait.
Next time I was thinking of talking about our favourite fast service restaurants in Disney. Where we’ve eaten in the past and would like to return to, new ones we’d like to try and where we’d like to grab a snack from. See you soon. 😄
OK guys, time to tackle a wopper – the dining at Disney World monster.
I mean, a day in the Theme parks is absolutely wonderful, but there’s no way you can get through the day without food.
It is possible, for those who prefer, to BYOF (bring your own food), especially when staying off site. It would work out cheaper than any other option. Even staying on site, especially when staying in a villa, equipped with a full functioning kitchen, you can get through the holiday without ‘eating out’. There is an option for grocery purchase and delivery, that makes it quite easy, with the Garden Grocer – https://www.gardengrocer.com/.- order the supplies and they will be delivered to your hotel room/suit/villa.
But I, for one, wouldn’t want to be chained to the oven when on holiday. Besides, part of the fun is getting to try all the different and interesting options of food and snacks offered up at the parks and resorts.
For food lovers, like me, there is so much up for grabs at Disney World. In the Theme parks, the resorts and Disney Springs, you can find an abundance of options, from quick service restaurants, through sweet shops, snack bars and up the high end fine dining restaurants. And there are so many ‘musts’ to try, things you would regret not trying, if you’re already there.
As with anything regarding Disney, there are so many useful sites and sources to rely on when researching dining at Disney. I can recommend a few that I like to work with:
Well, as I established, we like to stay on site. And as such, also established, we find that we really enjoy the dining options within the parks and resorts. For our last trips we went with the Disney dining plan. Loved it, especially when we got it almost for free on our last trip.
We always went with the regular dining plan, it had the right balance for us between quick service food and table service. We are fans of fine dining, but the deluxe dining plan was just too much – way too much food and too expensive.
Saying that, after our last trip, we found that although it’s a really good option, for us it was just too much food, and at the end of the day, we had quick service meal and snack credits left over, not to mention how much weight we gained (even with the amount of walking we did every day) – OMG!!!
Liberty Tree Tavern Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake
So, this time, after crunching the numbers, having a big think about, and many sleepless nights (nah😉 ), we came to a dramatic decision (😎 ) – we will skip the dining plan this time. We feel it will give us more flexibility with our dining options (where to eat and how much to eat – sharing desserts, for example), and to top it up, it will, most likely also save us money.🤑
There is another upside to our decision. To take the dining plan, we would have to split the park ticket purchase. Meaning that to be eligible for the dining plan you need to stay at a Disney resort on a package (including park tickets), so ticket purchase would have to be split too (for example: 5 days with the first resort and 4 with the second).
What I didn’t know, and that’s what I actually learnt just lately, was that buying the park tickets as one purchase, without splitting, would save me money. I mean, I knew it would save some money, it’s only logical, but I was shocked by the difference – we are talking about approx. 1500 US$. No, I’m not kidding, it’s true. Purchasing all of our park tickets with the one resort, and booking ‘room only’ for the second will actually save us 1500 dollars. And if you don’t believe me, you can check it out yourselves (go onto the Disney site and try the options and you’ll see).
Karamell Kuche
Reservations
Now, although not taking the dining plan, we will want to enjoy our favourite Disney restaurants, and to be able to do that, we will need to make our dining reservations – ADR’s. For most Disney popular table service restaurants, you need to make reservations, otherwise, you may find they are booked out. I recommend that you make the reservation as soon as possible, which is six months ahead, and if staying on site, then six months before your check in date. Reservations can be make by phone or through the Disney World site.
So, when I’m planning our trip, I allocate our park days, and create a timetable for our stay. After deciding how many times and when to visit the different parks, I then make up a list of our favourite restaurants, restaurants we would like to try this time, and snacks we don’t want to miss out on. Of course, sadly, I have to narrow the list down. I’m left with a number of restaurants that need booking, and I make myself a note at the six month point (I will already have my Disney resort reservations) to call up and get my ADR’s. I find it easier by phone, you can get it done all at once with no fuss.
Be Our Guest
Although not all restaurants need ADR’s, especially if you are visiting Disney off season, I recommend not to take the risk. We have, in the past, changed ADR’s while at Disney, so it is possible, but if it’s a popular restaurant that you’re after, the chances are that you won’t be able to find a table. Restaurants that are usually booked out even at the six month mark are: Be Our Guest, Cinderella’s Royal Table, for example.
Character dining
There are also great options at Disney for character dining. We, for one, love it and greatly recommend it. You get to enjoy good food, usually, and also get to meet the different characters. On the pros and cons for character dining you can read up at:
After much consideration and weighing, I narrowed our list down to these restaurants that need ADR’s:
Ohana – breakfast + dinner
Kona Cafe – breakfast + dinner
Be Our Guest – lunch
Crystal Palace – dinner
Yak & Yetti – dinner
Tusker House – dinner
50’s Prime Cafe – dinner
Biergarten
Liberty tree tavern – lunch
1900 park – breakfast
Raglan Road – lunch
Garden Grill – breakfast
We also don’t want to miss out on some of the quick service options available, such as Satu’li Canteen at Pandora (a must), and snacks from Star Rolls Café and Karamell Kuche, for example. I’ll have to find the time to fit those in too.😋
You have no idea how hard it was to narrow it down to this list. And it must be said, that at this point, it’s definitely not a closed or final list, no sir.
There is so much more for me to plan and share, but I don’t want to overload , so i think that’s enough for today. Hope to see you again soon guys.
Hey there, I’m back 🙂 , and this time I’m starting to plan the Disney World part of our 2019 trip. We decided to split our three week trip into three main portions: Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios. I will elaborate in detail over the next few weeks on each and every portion, but today I’m all about planning our Disney stay.
I don’t know about you, but I find that half of the fun is the planning. So even though we are a year and a half away from our trip, it’s never too early for me to get started with the planning.
When planning a trip I tend to first set the timeline, meaning how long the trip will be and setting the specific dates. Because we are flying in from overseas, there does have to be a flexibility in the dates, as we are restricted to flight timetables, but I do need to know in advance the preferable timeline.
If possible, I prefer to first purchase the plane tickets before making the hotel reservations. That prevents last minute changes in the reservations. As soon as the flights are booked and the accommodations are set in, I can get stuck into the rest of the itinerary planning.
This time, we decided to take our trip in January. We’ve been to Disney World in the summer months and found the crowds to be too much for us. Last trip was in October, and it was wonderful. We even got to enjoy Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party, which was great fun. But this time my middle one will be sitting for her VCE exams in October, so the next best time for us was January.
Timeline set. Too early for the flights, but I can still set an approximate timetable, including decisions made about how long and where to stay during our trip.
Out of our 22 day trip, 10 days are dedicated entirely to Disney World . I must tell you, that if it was up to me, we’d stay there even longer, but time is limited, and we do want to enjoy more of what Orlando has to offer. So 10 days it is.
Maybe being slightly obsessive compulsive (only when it comes to travelling), I like to plan my trips to the dot. Meaning, taking care of every aspect of my trip, including a full day to day and hour to hour itinerary that includes, where we stay, what and when we eat, every activity etc. Everything has to be planned ahead. It’s not that plans can’t be changed, if necessary (and we have done that in the past), but I find that having a plan gives me a calmness that allows me to enjoy the holiday much more.
Accommodation
First thing first, the accommodation.
So many articles and posts were written on the question of ‘on or off site stay’ – what are the benefits of staying on site, or is staying off site really cheaper or worth while.
This is such a complex question, and it really comes down to your personal preference. So, I won’t get into it, only to say that in our experience we like to stay on site.
For us, usually staying for 7-10 days, we find it to be more of an immersive and magical experience, something we would miss out on staying off site.
So, 10 days on site stay. Now the question is where to stay on site.
Even though mostly more expensive, there are options for a value stay on site. Resorts are divided into several levels, from value resorts, through moderate and deluxe.
For a detailed explanation on the different types of resorts I recommend the following post from Dad’s guide to WDW:
It all depends on your budget and the experience you are looking for. Every resort has a different theme and level of amenities. Size of rooms and features are also determined by the level of the resort.
We had stayed, in the past, at Coronado Beach Resort (moderate) and Art of Animation (value).
At Coronado Beach, there were more amenities, more dining options and better equipped rooms as a whole. At the time, we were four adults, two kids and a baby. We stayed in two adjoining rooms and in a whole it was a lovely experience and suited our group at the time.
On our next visit there were only the five of us. The girls were grown up, and all five of us staying in the one room would be cramped, at the least. Two rooms was out of the question budget wise. We also wanted more of a Disney experience in the resort itself. After lots of research, we decided that Art of Animation was the right fit for us.
On the one hand it’s a value resort, meaning pricing would be on the lower mark. On the other hand, although slightly more expensive than other value resorts, it was the only value resort offering a family suit. Having the option for a separate bedroom and bathroom for us grownups was definitely worth it. Added to that the special theming of the resort – Disney’s animation. The resort is divided into four sections – Lion King, Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo and Cars. – It’s just a great resort to stay in. We loved it.
So, where do we stay this time?
On the one hand, the girls wanted to stay at Art of Animation. They simply loved it there and wanted to go back. On the other hand, this time I wanted to be more adventurous. I wanted to stay at one of the monorail resorts. And, we mustn’t forget the good old all important, and most annoying budget restrictions 😡 .
Well, decisions had to be made, and after lots of surfing and much research and reading, a compromise was found – we will divide our stay into two resorts (simply genius 😉). I found that not only is it possible, but quite common, and moving between the resorts is quite easy (check out in the morning, go to the park, and return to your new resort, luggage waiting for you to check in).
After much deliberation, it was decided. We will split our stay between Art of Animation (staying there for our first 6 nights), and The Polynesian resort (staying there for the last 4 nights, hoping to meet Lilo and Stitch, we love so much).
There is so much more to share with you, so much more that needs to be planned, but I don’t want overload you with information, so, I think that will do for now.
Next time I think I’ll tell you a bit about the dining options….So excited 😀 .
Hey guys. What’s new? Well, it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been busy posting on different pages of my blog. Why don’t you pop in and have a peep?
It’s time now to start planning a Disney World vacation.
As I mentioned in my previous post, we’re planning a trip to Orlando at the beginning of 2019. You’d think that’s a long time off, and starting the planning at this stage is a little premature. Well, maybe it is for some, but I believe it’s not. And I will explain why.
First off, properly planning a trip, any trip, takes time.
Secondly, for me, half the fun is in the planning. That way, I get to enjoy a three week trip for much much longer.
So, let’s get started. How do I plan my trip to Orlando?
First thing first, we have to answer the big three questions – When? How long? How much? All three questions are actually intertwined and influence each other (budget limitations may limit stay and influence decision when to go…).
When – time of year, weather, holidays or special occasions that may effect your stay either crowd wise or budget wise, and special events you may want to attend (Epcot food & wine festival, Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party etc.). Just how flexible are you with your dates – taking into consideration the crowd levels.
How long – how long do you have for your vacation, how much you can take off work or school, how many days you want to spend in each resort and maybe you want to spend outside the resorts.
How much – how much are you willing to spend and how much you can actually spend. Staying on site resorts (at Disney or Universal) is more expensive, but gives you a full on experience.
you have to decide what type of vacation you are looking for – calm and relaxed or filled with excitement and thrills, or maybe a bit of both.
Is it a romantic vacation, are you travelling alone or is it a family vacation.
Are you travelling with young kids or teens, or maybe a combination of all ages.
Do you stay on site or off site – if off site , there are many options, starting with hotels, motels, apartments villas etc. Staying offsite is usually cheaper, but because of distance from the parks, you might need to rent a car.
All these will have an effect on your trip plan.
For starters, we need to decide just how long we want our trip to be this time. Obviously, this would be limited by the amount of time we can get off from work, and budget limitations.
As a matter of fact, I find that the biggest limitation is my budget restrictions, so, as I get into the planning process I prioritize accordingly – deciding where to stay, how long, what activities and extras to choose from this time, what or where we want to eat, transportation (rent a car or depend on public transportation) etc.
This time, we decided to take a three week vacation.
As soon as we decide how long the trip will be, I start my research – I have to decide where to visit, how long and where do we stay, activities, transportation and so much more.
Surfing the net you will find an overload of sites, blog and forums, all with advice and information about Disney World Orlando , Universal Studios and Orlando attractions in general.
I will share with you the sites, blogs and forums I like to work with. I find that these give me all the information that I need and so much more, and I find they are quite sufficient for me.
First of all, there are the official sites – for Disney, Universal, Sea World and Busch gardens:
Because we have prior knowledge, and this isn’t the first time visiting Orlando, we know approximately how we want to break our trip down – starting it off at Disney World, staying there for 10 nights, then 5 days in Orlando, and finishing the trip off with 6-7 nights at Universal studios.
Transportation is another thing we have experience with in Orlando. We personally prefer not to rent a car. It may limit you a bit , but we found that it is very easy to get around in Orlando with public transportation and it is much lighter on the pocket then renting a car, especially when we are staying on site in Disney and Universal (more about that in my next post).
There is so much more to do, we haven’t even gotten started….
Next post – Starting the specific planning – our first 10 days at Disney.
