Category Archives: Magic Kingdom

Who Would Love Enchanted Tales With Belle?

Posted on by

Sometimes (shout out if you’re with me here) when you’re making FastPass+ selections, something comes up that had never been on your radar before.  A ride or attraction that you’d never considered shows up as a suggestion along with two others that you are excited about.  If you, like me, have multiple visits to that park planned on vacation – this new, untried attraction causes you to stop and think…what the heck?  Why not!  Let’s give it a whirl.  Such was the case with us a few months back when Raymond and I were at Walt Disney World and I booked a FastPass for a most unlikely choice…Enchanted Tales With Belle Selfie

Who Would Love Enchanted Tales With Belle?

Yes, two mature (a.k.a middle-aged) adults visited this marginally popular Fantasyland attraction in Magic Kingdom.  While we were soaking it all in, we decided that this attraction has definite appeal for a certain subset of Disney fans.Enchanted Tales With Belle Cottage

Pre-school through about age 8 – This is a kid-friendly attraction!  Little ones who like Beauty and the Beast and love story-time will be happy with this attraction.  It’s not scary and includes familiar elements of the story while encouraging audience participation.  Shy people or folks like us who just want to see what’s going on without becoming part of the action are also completely welcome and made to feel at ease.Enchanted Tales With Belle - Wardrobe

Diehard Belle fans – Sure, there are plenty of familiar characters involved, but Belle is the star of this attraction and she’s everything you hope she’ll be.  Gracious, humble, and in her gorgeous gold ball gown.  What more could fans want?  You can get up close for a picture even.Enchanted Tales Wtih Belle - Lumiere

Anyone who loves Disney’s magical special effects – Belle’s the star here, but the “enchanted” part really adds to the experience.  This is Disney at its best – if you love Disney details large and small, Disney magic at its finest, you’ve got to experience this attraction at least once.  While we’ve only been the one time, I want to go back just in case I missed something the first time.  The technology in Enchanted Tales With Belle is excellent and should be part of all future Disney attractions!Enchanted Tales With Belle Special Effect

Are you a fan of Enchanted Tales With Belle?  What do you love about it?  If you’ve never experienced it before, I encourage you to give it a try!Enchanted Tales With Bell- Wall Art

WDW Attractions – Best Lead Up

Posted on by

RM-Haunted-Mansion-Exterior2We’ve talked about queues, we’ve talked about favorites and today it’s time to talk about the best attractions for attention-grabbing from afar – the one’s with real curb appeal, if you will.  With some of the very best rides, it’s all about the lead up!

Some attraction exteriors offer absolutely no clue what to expect (think Soarin’, Country Bears, Space Mountain), but some attractions draw you in from far away – the theme, the park setting – long before you step into the queue, you know you’re about to experience something extraordinary!  I’m going to talk about just five today – go ahead and leave a comment if your favorite gets left out – I’ll do a “part 2” in the future!

WDW Attractions – Best Lead Up

  1.  Haunted MansionRM-Haunted-Mansion-GraveyardFrom WAY far away, the draw to Haunted Mansion is incredible!  It looks exactly the way you hope it will – Grand yet a bit sinister.  You can immediately tell the Mansion holds room after room to explore – haunted corridors, ballrooms, attic and much more!  RM-Haunted-Mansion-ExteriorThe minute you see it, you know it’s going to be the perfect combination of scary and fun!
  2. Big Thunder Mountain RailroadThe Red Rock of Big Thunder MountainThe train flies along the track – you can see the passengers raise their hands, you can hear them screaming in delight, but that’s not the primary draw.  In Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, the whole landscape of Big Thunder that makes you eager to get inside that mountain – so out of place with the surrounding Florida palm trees and lush tropical plants.  Big Thunder Mountain is a wasteland of epic proportions and the details are mesmerizing!  Best of all, the queue at this mountain is top notch.
  3. Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorDisney's Hollywood Studios Tower of TerrorIt looks elegant and disheveled, classic but unique – first impressions are everything here in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Strolling down Sunset Boulevard, you can’t help but notice the tower’s façade and how it stands out.  Walk a little farther, and you’ll notice something else – the SCREAMING!  The sound will draw your eyes closer to the tower where in an upstairs window, you’ll see motion, but little else.  If you’re a thrill ride junkie, this is the ride for you!
  4. Rock’n’ Roller CoasterRock'n'-Roller-Coaster-GuitarThe location actually hurts this attraction because Tower of Terror tends to steal Rock’n’ Roller Coaster’s thunder.  You have to turn left at the very end of Sunset Boulevard to even notice the upside down Cadillac let alone the gigantic guitar, but once you see the setting, you know that for music fans and coaster addicts alike will find this the place to be!
  5. Expedition EverestRM-Expedition-Everest-ApproachIn Animal Kingdom, you can be far from Everest and still be drawn in.  Call me biased, but there’s a reason this is my favorite ride in all of Walt Disney World and one of the main reasons is that from the moment you see the mountain in the distance, you can’t help but want to be a part of its magic.  “Forbidden Mountain” is like a double-dog dare to those of us who love an amazing coaster – every single detail is beyond perfect!  Hands down, Expedition Everest has the best draw from afar of any attraction in the World.

Is your favorite “love at first sight” attraction missing from this list?  Which Walt Disney World rides grab you from afar and draw you in?Expedition Everest

Disney Snack Favorite – Citrus Swirl

Posted on by

Sunshine-Tree-TerraceEver since my ill-fated attempt to enjoy my one and only Dole Whip (yes, I know I’m weird), I’ve been looking for an acceptable new Disney sweet snack to try.  Enter the Citrus Swirl!

Last month on a warm and sunny December afternoon in Magic Kingdom, I found myself in Adventureland with some free time on my hands.  It was our last day of vacation and Raymond and I had decided to take things easy and savor every single moment.  We’d had breakfast at the Grand Floridian Café before heading to Magic Kingdom with no bigger plans than our three FastPasses – which were broken up by our lunch reservation at Whispering Canyon Café at the Wilderness Lodge.  (Begin flash-back sequence now….)Main-Street-USA-Crowds

Another great Disney day!  We started with Under the Sea: Voyage of the Little Mermaid which had a short stand-by wait.  Then we stopped in Fantasyland near Gaston’s Tavern to watch Gaston himself entertain a few guests with his hilarious ego-fuelled antics.  Then it was on to Mickey’s PhilharMagic before using our first FastPass for Pirates and our second for Jingle Cruise (gotta love that holiday overlay!).  Time for lunch, so we caught the boat to Wilderness Lodge.Magic-Kingdom-Boat-Dock-Selfie

I remember thinking over and over what perfect weather we were having and trying to stay in the moment.  The wind on the water was soft as our nearly empty boat took us to lunch.  Our experience at Whispering Canyon was great, but we skipped dessert.  By the time we returned to Magic Kingdom, it was just in time for our third FastPass and we flew right on to Space Mountain.Tomorrowland-Crowds

At this point, the crowds were definitely approaching an extreme level, but we weren’t ready to leave.  We waited longer than we ever had before to cruise Tomorrowland on the PeopleMover (worth the wait!) before slowly making our way to see those amazing Country Bears (you love them too, right?).  We could barely move for all the people crowding the walkways, but we still didn’t want to go.  That’s when Raymond said, “Wasn’t there something you wanted to eat in Adventureland?”Sunshine-Tree-Terrace-Menu

See?  This is why I married this man!  Citrus Swirl!  Yes, I wanted to taste a Citrus Swirl!  The line at Sunshine Tree Terrace was amazingly short.  In a few minutes I was madly trying to scarf down my snack as it rapidly melted in the sun.  Citrus-Swirl-MeltingThat’s when I got the idea that we could find some shade by seeing the Tiki Birds.  Bear in mind that it had been decades since we’d been in the Tiki Room.  I honestly didn’t realize that snacks are prohibited until it was too late – I am not advocating rule-breaking at all.  Please do not do this (no matter how happy you think it will make you)…Tiki-Room-Tiki

We waited in a very short line, caught the pre-show, made our way into the Tiki Room, and found our seats.  All the while I was calmly and openly snacking away on that Citrus Swirl – oh, the deliciousness!  Right about the time the show started and the announcer asked guests to refrain from eating and drinking…my paper cup was empty and I set it and my spoon aside to take with me and discard after the “concert”.  Tiki-Room-BirdsI enjoyed the birds, but I liked that Citrus Swirl more!  Me, born without a sweet tooth, hater of Dole Whip, in love with the perfect combination of creamy soft serve and tangy orange slush – worth every penny of its $3.79 price.

My first Citrus Swirl made me a fan – and I’ve got the memories of an amazing day to go with it.  In 30 days, I’ll be back at Disney World and I’ll be heading for Sunshine Tree Terrace.

How about you?  Have you tried a Citrus Swirl?  Are you a fan?

Why Breakfast is BEST at Be Our Guest

Posted on by

Be-our-Guest-WindowThinking about dining at Be Our Guest?  Can’t decide which meal to choose?  Here are FIVE reasons why…

Breakfast is BEST at Be Our Guest

  1. The Perfect way to start the day in Magic Kingdom – You’re fresh, wide awake, looking your best, AND you can get into Magic Kingdom early!  Think of the possibilities for great pictures!  You can eat before getting a jump on the day with your favorite rides and attractions.Beast's-Castle
  2. Experience the incredible atmosphere at your leisure – Early breakfast not only means a less-crowded Magic Kingdom, you can also tour Beast’s Castle on your own while waiting for your food to arrive (or after you finish eating).  Be-our-Guest-CeilingThe details and theming are well-worth at least one visit to this very unique and magical restaurant.  Feeling rushed would certainly diminish the overall experience.Be-our-Guest-Tapestry
  3. The Food is good!  Compared to lunch and dinner, we enjoyed breakfast the most.    Raymond ordered the Croque Madame “Open-faced Ham Sandwich topped with a Fried Egg, Gruyere Cheese, and Béchamel served with Fresh Fruit and a selection of pastries.”  Be-our-Guest-BreakfastI opted for the Scrambled Egg Whites “Scrambled Egg Whites with Roasted Tomatoes, Chicken Apple Sausage, Fresh Fruit, and a selection of pastries”   Be-our-Guest-EggsThe flavor, preparation, serving sizes along with the “selection of pastries” was very filling and tasty! (We felt obligated to try some of each pastry selection for research purposes.)Be-our-Guest-Breakfast-Pastries
  4. Relatively reasonable price for two adults – Breakfast for two totaled about $44 before tax.  Be-our-Guest-ReceiptOur lunch was about $50 for the two of us (one soup, two entrees and two desserts plus soft drinks).  Dinner was WAY more expensive (we added a bottle of wine) and dinner involves adding a gratuity.  Preview the menu here.
  5. Convenience – We booked our ADR and took advantage of the option to pre-order our food.  Be-Our-Guest-Check-inUpon arrival, we checked in outside and were directed right on in.  Once inside, we checked in again, paid for breakfast and received our “rose” (looks like a yellow hockey puck).  Then we grabbed our drinks at the self-service beverage station and were free to sit in whichever room we liked.  That magical hockey puck rose directed a Cast Member right to our table with our food when our order was ready.   Be-our-Guest-Grand-BallroomOn this visit we chose the Grand Ballroom having already dined in the other two rooms (the Castle Gallery and the West Wing, both shown in the next two pictures).  Be-our-Guest-Dining Be-Our-Guest-West-WingFYI – that West Wing is kinda creepy and very dark for an entire meal.  You’re welcome to roam the rooms and take pictures, so don’t worry about missing out on all the cool details.

Yes, you should definitely eat at Be Our Guest!  It’s pricy but the experience is fantastic.  Which meal you choose will depend on your plans and the amount of time you have available, but now that we’ve tried all three meal options, we both unanimously recommend breakfast as the best option.Be-our-Guest-Gargoyle

Have you eaten at Be Our Guest?  What did you think about it?