Category Archives: Disney Travel Tips

Disney Dining – Table Service VS Signature Dining

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So many dining questions (mostly my own) when planning a Walt Disney World vacation!  One of the most common is…What the heck is the difference between a “Table Service” restaurant and a “Signature Dining” experience?  This is an excellent question!!!  For guests on the Disney Dining Plan, the difference boils down to this:  Table Service = one credit and Signature restaurants = 2 credits.  But what is the difference REALLY?  What do I get for either my money or my dining credits?  That, my friends, is an interesting poser!RM-Yachtsman-Filet

To even the playing field for today’s exercise, I’m excluding all in-park dining options and focusing on two main categories:  1.)  Resort or Downtown Disney Dining Options and 2.)  Places Where I’ve Eaten.  With this information, you’ll be able to tell the difference between the two dining categories AND you can think about choosing a restaurant without the added expense/use of a theme park ticket.  Honestly, it’s no big secret that our family generally prefers dining at the resorts over the parks anyway.

Disney Dining – Table Service VS Signature Dining

In General:  

Signature Dining is more grown-up.  With the exception of Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney World restaurants are kid-friendly.  That being said, folks in Signature eateries tend to be adults-out-for-an-evening versus families with little ones.Citricos-Window

Signature Dining tends to involve dressier attire.  From the Disney Dining Plan information sheet:  “Dress Code for Signature Restaurants is Resort Casual. Not permitted in dining room: Tank tops, swimsuits or swimsuit cover-ups, hats for gentlemen, cut-offs, torn clothing of any kind, or T-shirts with offensive language and/or graphics.”  You just get a dressier vibe in general and we tend to clean up at our resort before we hit one of the restaurants of the Signature Dining variety.

Signature Dining is more expensive.  In our experience, this is true.  Sure, you can run up a large tab anywhere, but based on a basic 4-5 course meal, Signature restaurants cost a bit more.

Signature Dining may have better service.  MAY being the operative word here.  We’ve had incredible service at places like Flying Fish but, on the flip side, have never had poor service at any of our favorite Table Service restaurants.  If you want your server to know more about wine pairings and how certain dishes or sauces are prepared, you’re more likely to find that in a Signature Dining restaurant.Citricos-Michael

Signature Dining is quieter and more relaxing (and takes longer).  Fewer kids, generally better pacing – the meals tend to flow better in favor of enjoying each course and the dining experience to a fuller extent than at a regular Table Service place.  There’s no rush to move families along before a melt-down occurs.

Let’s look at specific restaurants and compare!

Our favorite Table Service restaurants include this selection of six from the resorts (all are ONE credit on the Disney Dining Plan):

  • Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge) – Buffet with a fixed price (unless you order adult beverages) that includes a selection of both exotic, African-inspired dishes AND kid (and picky eater)-friendly choices.  Soups, salads, entrées, desserts – a feast to please every taste!
  • Sanaa (Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village) – Feels very close to a Signature Dining experience with exotic flavors and an unsurpassed appetizer, the “Bread Service”.  It’s warm, cozy, and boasts an excellent, knowledgeable wait staff.  (Choose this over Jiko if you need to save a Table Service credit, but want the great flavors and atmosphere if Animal Kingdom Lodge.)RM-Sanaa Server
  • Olivia’s Café (Old Key West) – Underappreciated and off-the-beaten-path, this place is cozy with a homey, beachy vibe.  The service is above par and the relaxed atmosphere after a hectic day in the parks cannot be beat!Relaxed Dining at Olivia's Cafe / Old Key West / Walt Disney World
  • Kona Café (Polynesian Village Resort) – If I had to rank this list, Kona Café would come in last.  Based on the one-and-only time we’ve eaten there, the atmosphere and service left us underwhelmed, but the food was delicious!
  • ‘Ohana (Polynesian Village Resort) – Perfect for families with big appetites looking for a kid-friendly atmosphere.  It helps if you like meat as this is a Brazilian Barbeque-style dining experience.
  • Raglan Road (Downtown Disney) – We love this place!  For an Irish Pub, it’s extremely family-friendly, has fun live entertainment, great music, and a delicious comfort-food-intensive menu.RM-Raglan-Road-Dancers

Resort Signature Dining (TWO Disney Dining Table Service Credits) experiences we’ve tried include:

  • Jiko (Animal Kingdom Lodge) – We love this place!  Expensive, yes, but exotic with great service, awesome wine selection, and delicious menu choices that have never disappointed.
  • Flying Fish Café – The artisanal cheese appetizer is amazing, but we also love the service, the interesting menu (something for everyone, even non-seafood-lovers) and the atmosphere – prime location on Disney’s Boardwalk.Disney's Flying Fish Cafe Interior
  • California Grill – More kids than we anticipated!  Of all the Signature Dining places we’ve tried, this one was the nosiest and had the most kids-on-the-loose.  It’s the balcony that allows guests a magnificent view of Wishes (Magic Kingdom’s nighttime fireworks show) – Access is included with a dining reservation.  The food’s great, the service is awesome, but if you’re looking for a quieter, kid-less dinner, think about trying a different restaurant.
  • Citricos (Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) – This place feels elegant, upscale, and unpretentious at the same time.  The service is excellent!  The menu is broad enough for picky or special-restriction diners.  We also think the atmosphere strikes just the right balance between fancy and on-vacation.Citricos-Interior
  • Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht and Beach Club Resort) – Looking for a great steak dinner?  You’ll find one here.  Compared to the great service we’re received at other Signature Dining restaurants, Yachtsman’s servers possess the most pride in their food, atmosphere, and service.  There seem to be more kids here than at some other Signature Dining restaurants, but they’re too busy enjoying their steaks to make noise or cause a ruckus.RM-Yachtsman-Dining-Room
  • Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge) – Again, if I had to rank the restaurants in this category, Artist Point would come in last.  It’s dark and, compared to Wilderness Lodge’s awesome ambiance, lacks character.  Save your dining credits!  We’ve found much better experiences at NON-signature restaurants.  Rumor has it that changes are on the horizon for Artist Point, but it would take a lot to get me back in there for another meal when there are so many other, more reliable options.

Whew!  I’m exhausted…and hungry.  I hope I was able to shed a bit of light on the differences between the different dining experiences at Walt Disney World for you.  I believe it’s important to be an informed consumer when it comes to my precious vacation dollars.

What would you recommend for an excellent sit-down meal at a Disney resort?

 

Disney Celebration Buttons

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I can’t think of a more exciting place to celebrate just about anything than at Walt Disney World.  Raymond has been at Walt Disney World on his birthday several times and celebrate we did indeed.  Megan’s friend Ashli celebrated her graduation from nursing school on a trip with us in 2012.  Raymond and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at Disney World last year.RM-Enjoying-Magic-Kingdom

You can celebrate with a special meal or fancy dessert.  You can bring along decorations for your room or buy special pin to mark the occasion.  One of the best things you can do to celebrate at Disney World is wear a celebration button!  The buttons even give you another reason to celebrate – they are absolutely free of charge!RM-Disney-Birthday-Celebration-Raymond

When you wear a Disney celebration button, you feel like a celebrity!  You certainly won’t need to throw a me-party.  Lots of Cast Members and other guests will offer well-wishes and celebrate right along with you.  You will most definitely feel special!  You’ll be wished “Happy *Insert celebratory event here*” everywhere you go.  With our anniversary buttons on, Raymond and I weren’t just offered congratulations, lots of people wanted to know our secret for staying married for 25 years.  (If we had a secret, we’d sell it and make enough money for a house at Golden Oak!)RM-Disney-Anniversary-Celebration-Button

You can let Walt Disney World know in advance that your visit will include a celebration and they’ll make a note on your reservation.  You can also wait until you arrive to let the Cast Member at your resort know you have a special occasion OR you can stop at any of the parks’ Guest Services counter and pick up a Disney Celebration Button.

For a complete list of ALL the ways Walt Disney World can help you celebrate, visit this page.

What have YOU celebrated at Walt Disney World?

Magic Kingdom – Wait Here Not There

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IMG_3279The opinions expressed here are my own (as if you didn’t already know that).  I’m crazy about Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and it’s probably my favorite park, followed closely by Animal Kingdom.  Don’t get me wrong – there’s plenty of fun to be had in Epcot and what’s currently left of the Studios, but Magic Kingdom holds the most happy memories and has so much entertainment to offer me when I’m there.  When I daydream about being at Walt Disney World, I’m almost always in Magic Kingdom.

It won’t be long before we’ll be selecting FastPasses for our next visit to the World and that got me thinking about how I’ll be weighing the pros and cons of different attractions – including the entertainment value of specific ride queues.  This is just me now, but I’m much more willing to wait in some queues than I am in others solely based on the quality of the wait.  If we start in Adventureland and work our way around the park, land by land, here are my recommendations for:

Magic Kingdom – Wait Here Not There

RM-Adventureland-Magic-KingdomAdventureland – Wait for Pirates of the Caribbean not Jungle Cruise.  Yes, if we are strictly speaking Adventureland attractions, I’d much rather FastPass Jungle Cruise and wait for Pirates.  The queue for Pirates is cool and dark with excellent mood-setting elements – it’s actually an excellent place to cool off on a hot day and let your face rest from the pressure of your sunglasses on your nose.  WDW Jungle CruiseThe wait for Jungle Cruise is hot and has less to enjoy.  Personally, I find it somewhat frustrating although I do enjoy the announcements.

Frontierland – Wait for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad not Splash Mountain.  Big Thunder’s queue is interesting with loads of interactive elements to enjoy – in fact, I enjoy it so much, I sometimes wish the line were moving a tiny bit slower.Interactive Queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Interactive elements for Big Thunder Mountain QueueSplash Mountain’s queue, while possessing some cute features (like the adorable bird houses) is not nearly as interesting.

Liberty Square – Save your FastPasses!  Haunted Mansion is the only attraction that will ever have a significant wait and the queue (unless the day is super hot and humid) is great! Check out all the interactive components, search for the Bride’s Ring on the ground (embedded in the pavement) as you move along.  RM-Liberty-Belle-Haunted-Mansion-ViewPay attention to the excellent (and plentiful) Disney details.  If heat and humidity are factors – cool off in the Hall of Presidents during the day and save Haunted Mansion for after the sun goes down.

Fantasyland – Hmmmm…This is the toughest one!  Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is going to have the longest wait – maybe for the entire park.  Seven Dwarfs Mine Train SignThat being said, it also has an excellent, highly entertaining and interactive queue.  Peter Pan’s queue has just been “plussed” and is worth waiting for.IMG_2542If you have little ones, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has a very kid-pleasing wait.  IMG_0899Personally, I’d burn a FastPass on Dumbo if it’s a must-ride attraction.  I hate the wait for Dumbo so much, I’ve never made it to the ride.  (You can read the story here.)  Based solely on time-savings, excluding Dumbo, the FastPass would have to go to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Tomorrowland – Remember that FastPass I told you NOT to use in Liberty Square?  I’d use it here for Space Mountain.  While the queue is dark and cool, it’s also a snooze-fest.  Even though it was one of the first attractions I can remember that got a few interactive parts added to the queue, they’re not all that interesting.  RM-Space-Mountain-SignOnce you reach the top of the upward climb to the boarding area, the queue reverts to old school back and forth, metal-partitioned, waiting.  And waiting….and….you get the idea.

Your turn to weigh in!  Where would you select FastPasses in Magic Kingdom – and where would you stand in line?

5 MORE Ways to be Irritating at WDW

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Belle and GastonDisclaimer:  I’m joking.  This post is for entertainment purposes only and should in no way be misinterpreted as containing advice I’d actually like you to take.  This information is directed at the rude, uncouth, coarse, and inconsiderate among the general population – none of those people read this blog.

Many of you will remember this post where I helped readers here at Living a Disney Life learn how to be irritating at Walt Disney World.  So well received and, based on my last couple of visits to the World, well heeded.  You were listening and you are beasts at being annoying!  So proud of you.  You deserve a little something special.  After mastering the first set of annoyances, I will unlock for you the next steps necessary for you to master the program and reach your full irritation potential!  Today I give to you…

5 MORE Ways to be Irritating at WDW

1.  Sit in the Middle.  You won’t be sorry!  It is SO annoying!  Have your camera ready to capture the wide variety of dirty looks you will receive.  RM-Mickey's-PhilharMagicAfter those Cast Members in Mickey’s PhilharMagic (or any and all other movies and shows) tell you to move all the way to the end of the row before sitting down, stop in the middle – the best seats are right there and you paid the same as everyone else to be there.  You deserve the best seats in the house!  If anyone dares to say something to you or suggest that you get up and move, respond with complete silence.  Pretend you don’t speak English!  Sitting in the middle of ride queues, on railings, on stairs…it’s all good.  And irritating.  Do it!

2. Feed the Birds.  I’ll let you in on a little secret – the birds at Walt Disney World are no where near aggressive enough!  The really – I’m talking seriously dangerous – aggressive birds are at Sea World.  Those winged devils will dive-bomb your head and smash into you to make you drop the fish you just paid a fortune for (not for you to eat, but to feed to the sea critters) and then they’ll actually laugh as they gobble your expensive fish up off the ground.  Disney birds are tame!  DSCN3907They love people and merely want to make friends – Like Snow White and her band of helpful woodland creatures, go ahead and be buddies with your new feathered friends.  Especially in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion at the Cantina de San Angel…those birds are the best!

3. Get that Perfect Picture – No Matter What!  Everyone understands how crucial your Disney vacation photos are and you’ve paid big bucks to be here – make the most of it!  Line your little ones up for that perfect shot in front of Cinderella Castle – who cares if it’s in the middle of the walkway or how long it takes – everyone else will either stop or go around.  No worries!  These are your vacation pictures!  Make sure every single person in your party of 15 gets an individual photo with every character!

4. Never EVER Walk in a Straight Line.  You are on vacation!  Mosey, meander, zig, zag, and don’t neglect the ever-important diagonal walking!  Didn’t they tell you to pay close attention to all those Disney details?  While you’re getting from points A to B, look up, look right and left – for sure, look down at your cell phone – that My Disney Experience app needs your attention!  At all times.Walt Disney World Summer Crowd

5. Personal Space?  Nah!  Look around you – Disney World is one über-crowded place full of happy people having fun!  This is not the time or the place to worry about getting too close to your neighbor.  If you leave too much space between you and another guest, someone else might slip in there and cut in line!  Go ahead, we’re all friends in a Disney park, move on in there and aggressively guard your place in every queue.  Or for parade viewing. Or during a character meet-and-greet.  ‘S okay!  ‘Cause I said so.IMG_2614

Bonus suggestion:  You’re going to be hot and sweaty at Walt Disney World during most months of the year.  Here’s a great way to save time and money while being incredibly irritating at the same time – forego personal hygiene until you get home!  (Oh, and don’t forget #5!)