Category Archives: Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World Lagniappes

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Here in Louisiana, we’re very familiar with the concept of lagniappe (pronounced lan-yap).

At Oxford’s online dictionary, Lagniappe is defined as “something given as a bonus or extra gift.”.  ORIGIN:  Louisiana French, from Spanish la ñapa.

We like to think of it as anytime you unexpectedly receive a little something extra.

Disney World clearly understands and embraces the idea of lagniappe and I’ve created a short list of my favorites.

Walt Disney World Lagniappes

RM-Disney-Any-kind-Celebration-Button

Celebration Buttons and Surprises – When you book a reservation at a Walt Disney World resort or restaurant (by phone), you’ll be asked if you’ll be celebrating anything when you visit.  If the answer is YES, you’ll most likely receive a celebratory lagniappe!  Upon checking in at your resort, you may be presented with a complimentary celebration button (if not, just ask for one!).  In a restaurant, you’ll often receive an acknowledgement of some type that will make your dining experience even more magical!RM-French-Regional-Lunch-Dessert

Photos with your camera – While we’ve purchased Memory Maker a few times (before it came with our Annual Passes), we’ve always appreciated how willing Cast Members and Disney Photographers are to take our picture with our own camera or smartphone.  Some of these pictures have been among our favorites and It’s a great way to immediately share your happiness with friends and family on social media.Chewbacca-Meet-and-Greet

Electrical Water Pageant – If you’ve seen it and didn’t absolutely love this adorably cheerful nighttime spectacle, I’m afraid I simply don’t understand.  This nightly parade of floats on the Seven Seas Lagoon is awesome! The floats are made of dancing light effects and the music is perfectly peppy! Plus, you can watch the pageant from outside the parks – just visit the boat dock at one of the Magic Kingdom resorts at the appropriate time. (Get all the details about times and best viewing spots here.)  Since this is a free show with no park ticket required, it’s a perfect first day activity if you’re not going to a park. It may be only 15 minutes long, but this little show’s a gem – don’t miss it!electrical-water-pageant-serpent-2 electrical-water-pageant-fish

Random Character Interaction – Lately Disney news has been full of performer contracts being cancelled (Most recently Scoop Sanderson in Magic Kingdom), but there are still prime opportunities to happen upon some extra special Disney magic in the form of wandering or unexpected characters (like the Dapper Dans!). Keep your eyes peeled!RM-Dapper-Dans

Thank You Card – When you get home from your Walt Disney World stay, the surprises keep coming!  We’ve received a very nice thank you card after the last few visits that includes Disney artwork suitable for framing.disney-thank-you-minnie

What are your favorite Walt Disney World lagniappes?

Disney World October 2016 To-Do’s

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Our next Walt Disney World vacation is nearly upon us!  Looking forward to some of our favorite rides, attractions, and restaurants isn’t the only thing we’re excited about.  This may be our third trip to Walt Disney World in 12 months, but there are still plenty of new things to try!  Some is the new stuff I mentioned here, but some things have been around for a while and we’ve never made time to check them out.  For sure, one of the new things I failed to mention in my previous posts is all the new dining offerings at Disney Springs.  So, I’m going for broke here.  I’m over-planning, I know, but I’m determined to do my best and if we don’t get to everything this trip, we’ll have another shot at it in December.  (I’m not mentioning the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in this post, but it IS the primary reason we’re going to Disney World this time.)Waiting in Line for Soarin'

Disney World October 2016 To-Do’s

Some people may be complaining about the number of closed attractions and underutilized space in Epcot, but I’m not one of them.  We still love Epcot and the first two things on our to-do list are there – Frozen ever After and the new Soarin’. FastPasses are officially booked for these and I will, of course, weigh in afterwards.The Boardwalk at Walt Disney World

If there’s a new lounge to try at Disney World, it’s going to make our to-do list.  We were very pleased with our visits to Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar in Disney Springs and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian when we tried those for the first time last December (2015).  This time another new lounge is on our radar…

AbracadaBar on the Boardwalk – For years we ignored Disney’s Boardwalk due to sheer ignorance of what can be found there.  Now that we’ve discovered the cool shops, restaurants, and entertainment to be had just a short walk from Epcot, we’re hooked.  Now that yet another new highly-themed spot has opened for the enjoyment of a vacation libation, count us in!RM-Magic-Kingdom-Autumn2

We’ll have a great mix of personalities and interests in our travel party of seven, so I think this may be the perfect time to try the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.  We’ll been in Magic Kingdom for at least two days, so I’m hoping we can add this activity to our plans and see what it’s all about!

Let’s talk about food!  I hope we never run out of new places to try.RM-Megan-and-Grant-Sci-Fi

Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater – I have no idea what’s taken us so long to get to this funky little restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but we have, since the restaurant opened in 1991, always passed it by.  Until this trip.  My only excuse is (not kidding) that I was traumatized by The Blob when I saw it on TV for the first time as a kid.  I’m not against all Sci-Fi movies, just the ones that remind me of The Blob.  Do you think a lot of the ones featured in Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater will bring back bad Blob memories?  On a bright note, I hear the shakes are great there!

Disney Springs New Counter Service Offerings – This one’s stressing me out a little.  We’re only planning on one afternoon/evening at Disney Springs.  Dinner has been booked at Raglan Road because we can’t NOT visit it on every trip.  This means I’ll have only one lunch from which to sample the new counter service restaurants.  With 7 people in our party, I’m hoping someone (or ones) will be willing to share some selections with me to maximize taste sampling!  Topping my to-try list here are:  B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Company, Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, The Daily Poutine, D-Luxe Burger, Morimoto Asia Street Food, and the YeSake snack kiosk  (if only for a sake-based slush).  I may not get to them all on this trip, but I aim to give it my best try!

One last thing!

Finally, call me crazy. I realize our schedule is packed, but I would absolutely love to find an evening to finally make our way to Port Orleans’ River Roost to see YeHaa Bob for the first time ever.  Bob Jackson’s been around for quite a while and he’s a beloved performer who, according to the majority of folks who see him, puts on quite a show.  I actually follow Yehaa Bob on Facebook, but have sadly, never seen him in person.  Yet.

Are my plans too aggressive? What would YOUR first priorities be at Walt Disney World in October?

 

 

 

 

Disney Dining – Grand Floridian Café Breakfast

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Last December at Walt Disney World, we ate a lot.  Adding both new experiences along with old favorites made coping with the Christmas crowds easier – less park time, more culinary exploration.  We rarely have a sit-down breakfast on vacation, so enjoying some early morning dining reservations was a rare treat.  One of the new places we tried was the Grand Floridian Café.

Grand Floridian Café Breakfast

It’s hard to write an honest review of a dining experience that began with vomit. Not our own, thank goodness, but there was upchuck splattered liberally near the cafe’s entrance.  If you’ve been to the Grand Floridian before, you may have noticed the dramatic and beautiful tiled floors.grand-floridians-tiled-entranceJust before our arrival, it appeared that a little someone had been violently ill smack in the middle of the lovely tiled atrium.  We gingerly skirted around the mess – I don’t know about Raymond, but I made a valiant effort to NOT breathe in until we were safely inside the restaurant. We were shown to our table immediately and seated beside a window.grand-floridian-cafe-table

The Grand Floridian Café’s décor is everything you’d expect from its location. It completely reflects the overall resort theme – white, bright, open and airy with small, lovely details in keeping with a Victorian feel. grand-floridian-cafe-detailsOur server visited our table right away with menus for us to look over.  I liked the simple presentation of the condiment selection on the table.grand-floridian-cafes-fancy-condimentsWhile there was nothing fancy or particularly outstanding among the menu offerings, there were some solid, hearty breakfast choices mixed among lighter fare like breakfast salads. I did not order one of theses, but thought the idea had merit. grand-floridian-cafe-interiorAs often happens with Raymond and I, we decided to order something to share and selected The Garden Omelet (Three-Egg Omelet, Spinach, Feta, and Roasted Tomato served with Lyonnaise Potatoes or fresh Fruit). We were keeping in mind that lunch that day would be at Whispering Canyon Café, another new experience for us, and we wanted to be good and hungry by then.grand-floridian-cafe-window-seat

While we waited for our omelets, I passed the time people-watching out the window. It was early and there weren’t too many people out and about yet.  There were few people seated near us in the restaurant.  It was Christmas week and while everywhere else was ridiculously busy, the Café was not doing a booming business this early in the day and that was just fine with us.grand-floridian-cafe-breakfastThe food was fine, even if our particular selection was rather unremarkable. The service was excellent, the restaurant’s peace and quiet was welcome and soothing.  Would we eat here again? Sure – especially during Christmas week when finding a serene spot to fuel up is nearly impossible.

I’ve heard the Grand Floridian Cafe’s lunch menu is good, boasting the popular Grand Café Sandwich (Open-faced hot Ham, Smoked Turkey Breast, Bacon, and Tomato with a rich Boursin Cheese Sauce and Fried Onion Straws).  Maybe next time we’ll try a mid-day meal instead of breakfast. Excluding the unfortunate vomit greeting, we had an overall good experience.

Have you tried the Grand Floridian Café? What did you think about it?

 

Enchanted 10k – My First runDisney Event!

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Enchanted 10k – My First runDisney Event!

By Nick

 

My story begins several months ago when my Disney Exchange Podcast co-host Lisa started talking about the Princess Half Marathon Weekend.

Somehow, I was convinced by her and my other co-host Dave that I could walk the Enchanted 10K. I’m not supposed to jog due to a spinal injury suffered as a child, but I was assured that a brisk walking pace would be adequate. I just needed to train to do a 16 minute mile. 6.2 16 minute miles to be precise.

Lisa, Dave and I started talking about the many things we would do during our brief time together. I also agreed to start training. And I did begin to train. 6 weeks before the actual event.

This was a point of concern with my co-hosts. But I had no doubt. Okay, maybe a little.

Within a couple of weeks, however, I was averaging a 14 minute mile, and the week before the actual 10K I walked out the entire 6.2 miles on a treadmill in under an hour and 30 minutes, which really boosted my confidence. Really, I’d actually been losing sleep with thoughts I may not be able to do it!

I arrived at Walt Disney World Thursday, February 18th, a day earlier than Lisa and Dave. I’d mentioned to them my plans to walk 4 miles Thursday and 5 Friday as a warm up to Saturday, and I’m really glad I did because they told me that wasn’t a good idea, and that all the walking around the parks Thursday and Friday would be plenty enough of a warm up! And they were absolutely correct!

After a full day of walking around Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I was alarmed when I woke up Friday and had pain in the big toe on my left foot!

At this time I’ll bore you to tears I will very briefly tell you about that spinal injury I mentioned above.

Back in 2006 I started jogging with the intention of doing a Disney marathon. I developed such severe pain in my back and hips my chiropractor sent me for an X-ray. She took one look at it and told me I needed to go to a back specialist immediately. It was a white mass on my spine.
I said “Is that cancer?”
She said “I don’t know.”
Went to the back doctor.
He looked at it and said “I’m sending you for an MRI tomorrow. And when you come in for the results, bring your wife.” 
Me “Is that cancer?” 
Him “I don’t know, I’ve never seen anything like it.” 
Get the MRI. 
Doctor “When did you crack your L5 vertebrae.” 
Me ” When did I do what, now?” 
The only thing I could think of was I had a bicycle accident at 7 when a friend was riding the handlebars and I hit a fence and flipped over and landed hard on my butt. He said that my white blood cells went to town and healed it in a way he’d never seen! It encased it in calcium. 
And it’s inoperable because the scar tissue would potentially be more of an issue. 
It also happens to pinch a major nerve cluster which causes all sorts of fun and exciting random pain in my legs and feet.
Hence the pain in my big toe.

I’ve been dealing with this fairly new addition to my almost lifelong list of random pain on and off for a few months, and knew that stretching would help alleviate the discomfort to some extent. Still, it was more than a little disconcerting to be dealing with this considering the 10K was just a day away!

 I soldiered on, and met up with Lisa and Dave at the Health and Fitness Expo at The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It was the first time I’d ever seen this area of WDW!


 I’d gotten there via bus from the resort. One of my concerns had been about getting around from the Animal Kingdom Lodge to the expo and the race, and I was told there would be signs posted telling me exactly where and when to get a bus. And there absolutely was! Disney makes this very convenient, with the information in the lobby.


 Back to the Expo. I met up with Dave and his wife Anne, and they showed me where to go to get my race packet.

We then made our way to the Expo building where we met up with Lisa and her husband Raymond.

This was the first time Lisa, Dave and I had all met!

Raymond, me, Lisa, Dave, and Anne

I picked up my t-shirt, and we spent some time walking around the Expo, before saying good afternoon. 

I then met up with my wife’s cousin Jill and her husband Zach, and friends Ryan and Amber, and spent more time walking around the Expo. This was followed by The Wahlburger Incident, and a full accounting of that can be found here.

 I woke up Saturday morning at 2:30am, having gotten about 4 1/2 hours sleep, and since I’d had my alarm set for 3 and was way to anxious to try and sleep any longer, just got up, dressed, and headed to the lobby at about 3:15, where I met with other similarly amped up race participants.

My toe was sore, but not debilitating.

 The first bus heading to the starting area arrived promptly at 3:30, and we got to Epcot’s parking lot by 4am.


 It was already fairly crowded. I followed the crowd to the corral area, texting Lisa and Dave along the way to try and get their whereabouts, and met up with Dave and Anne while I waited in line for a photo with Belle. Anne was kind enough to join me for a photo.


 Lisa came a short time later, and we all headed towards our respective corrals. 


 Dave and Lisa were in A, Anne in B, and since this was my first race, and I had no time submitted, I was in E. Dave had volunteered to walk the race out with me, and I told him that was not necessary, I had this, but he was coming down with what would turn out to be a fairly nasty flu, so said walking with me was the preferable option.

 At 5:30, corral A started. And we waited. And waited. And… it was 10 minutes between each corral! We didn’t even get to the starting line until 6:13!


 I started off at about a 14 minute mile. My legs moving at a pretty quick pace. Dave, being 6 foot something, seemed to take 1 step for every 4 of mine. Within a few minutes we were passing people and Dave said “You know, you don’t really need to even be moving as fast as you are, look around, you are not going to have a problem finishing, and you are going to be at the parks 4 more days, so there is no point in overdoing it.” or something to that effect. 


 And he was right! I slowed down. Often, due to bottle necks, we had no choice. It seemed a majority of people were walking. 

 The first leg of the 10K is on roads and fairly boring, but then, as daylight was breaking, we entered the backstage area of Epcot. 

At one point during the walk, I straightened my back, heard a crack, and my toe stopped bothering me all together! Like I said, random weird pain. 

Then we were walking around World Showcase as the sun was rising. It was a beautiful morning. I actually started getting a bit emotional. I was doing it! My first runDisney event!


 We walked around the Boardwalk area, and I got even more emotional, wishing for all the world my wife was there with me, as the BW is her favorite resort. 

  Then we were past the Yacht and Beach Club and into more backstage area of Epcot where I will never forget, as we neared mile 6, Katy Perry’s Firework was just starting.

Before long back into Epcot by Imagination, and then, there it was! The finish line!


 I’d done it! Dave was a great walking buddy! Thanks again Dave.

I proudly wore my shirt around the parks all day!

A note: some friends have said they would like to do a runDisney event, but they would also be walking it. They have heard that runners look down on walkers. I say “Pft” to these negative naysayers. Any exercise is better than none. And walking 3, 6.2, 13.1 or 26.2 is an accomplishment! I used to let these doubts about walking versus running get to me. Never again!


 I am now hooked. I am signed up for runDisney updates. I may not make it back this year for an event, but will most certainly be doing more 10Ks, 5Ks, and, maybe, just maybe a half down the line!

 

You can follow Nick, his wife Barbie, and friends on all their Disney adventures:  Disney Musings Blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, On Instagram, On Pinterest.  You can listen to Nick, our friend Dave and me on The Disney Exchange Podcast where we talk about all things Disney.