Tag Archives: Walt Disney World

Disney World Table Service – 5 Random Tips

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Flying Fish Dinner at the BoardwalkToday’s tips are brought to you by my current state of hunger.  Having an empty belly, thinking about our upcoming trip to Walt Disney World, I just started brainstorming important things about selecting table service restaurants…only, here in Louisiana, the brainstorm is more like a brain hurricane!

For us, the selection of Disney dining options begins exactly 180 days from our vacation – as soon as that window opens up for making ADRs (advance dining reservations), we are booking maniacs.  Planning the actual selections begins even sooner than that!  We love the opportunity to sit down together as a family (usually once each day) and enjoy some of the delicious dining options Walt Disney World offers – at a fairly leisurely pace.  We love the number of table service options there are to choose from.  We love trying new things and revisiting old favorites.

Disney World Table Service – 5 Random Tips

Tip #1 – If you’re thinking, “I don’t know what I’ll feel like eating so far in advance!” get over it!  You don’t have to book ALL your ADRs at 180 days, but if you’re even toying with Epcot's France Pavilion / Monsieur Paul‘Ohana, Le Cellier, Be Our Guest, and/or a few others in the uber-popular category, book a reservation at the earliest possible moment!  I would be so sad if my family was really counting on eating at one or more of the most popular places and we couldn’t get in.  If what you want is not available when you first try – keep checking!  Cancellations happen all the time.  My cautionary tale:  We were once waiting for our ADR at ‘Ohana when a lady with a very long blond (totally artificial) ponytail (I remember the weirdest details) walked up to the podium and asked for a table.  When told there were none available, she said, “We don’t care about the wait, we’ll take whatever you’ve got!” – she was completely (tragically) shocked when the cast member explained that all available tables for the entire evening had been booked.  Don’t let this happen to you!

Chicken at Raglan RoadTip #2:  Are you picky?  If you’re more about a particular food than an experience, do some research.  Menus and reviews are available all over the interwebs!  Looking for a good steak?  There are quite a few choices.  Keep in mind that the way steak (or your other favorite food) is prepared where you live may be a bit different than it is at Walt Disney World.  Different regions seem to have different criteria for rare, medium, and well-done.  Be as descriptive as possible!  Say, “Warm and slightly pink in the center” or “No pink in my steak at all” or “Moo-ing gently as I cut into it” – this will get you a lot closer to what you want than the generic beef terminology.

Tip #3:  Are your kids picky?  We feel your pain!  We have yet to find a table service restaurant that wouldn’t help us figure out how to feed our picky eater.  Ask your server for suggestions.  Tell them if your picky one has special dining needs (like no food must touch!)  It’s been our experience that they’re usually more than happy to work with you to make sure your experience is the best it can be.  When in doubt, we’ve gone with one of the many buffets available.  The kid-friendly sections are really great!

Pizza Delivery at WDWTip #4:  FYI – Walt Disney World typically does not do pizza well.  Don’t count on finding good pizza there.  In fact, I’ll go ahead and just say that the pizza is notoriously awful.  Your best chance is in Epcot’s Italy Pavilion at Via Napoli.  If you can make it a week without a pie, you should try to do that.  Please, oh, please – if you’ve GOT to enter Pizza Planet at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – go for the arcade games!

Tip #5:  Save room!  Nothing makes me madder than when I sit down at a great restaurant (like the Flying Fish Café on the Boardwalk, Raglan Road in Downtown Disney/Disney Springs or ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Village Resort) and I’ve eaten so much earlier in the day that I’m not going to be able to do the meal justice.  That’s the beauty of tip #1 – you’ll know when you need to hold back and make sure you’re good and hungry when you arrive for your ADR!

What is your best table service tip?  What’s your favorite table service restaurant?

Need info?  There’s always helpful information at the Disney Food Blog!

 

 

 

 

Rise and Shine at Walt Disney World

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Early Morning at Disney's Grand FloridianWhen you’re on vacation do you like to sleep in?  Are you a night owl?  Do you stay up into the wee hours squeezing all the enjoyment you can into every day?  It’s okay to expect a little rest and relaxation when you’re taking a break from the rest of the world, but WAIT!  At Walt Disney World, there are some things that are worth waking up for!  And I don’t mean sleep late and get to them when you’re ready.  No, I mean get up early – set that alarm, request that wakeup call – whatever it takes to pry yourself out of that comfy hotel bed and start the day in a special way!

Five Reasons to Rise and Shine at Walt Disney World

1. The Welcome Show at the Magic Kingdom – It’s magical!  But you’ve got to get there mighty Welcome Show at Magic Kingdomearly to get a good viewing spot.  At about 10 minutes before the park’s official opening time, there’s a wonderful welcome for waiting guests.  Disney characters and Main Street Citizens are among the welcoming party.  It’s cute, it’s special, and it’s EARLY!  Get up in plenty of time to be at the park at least 30 minutes prior to opening (rope-drop) – if not sooner.

2. A Character Breakfast – If you choose to book a breakfast at someplace like the Magic Kingdom’s Crystal Palace, Animal Kingdom’s Tusker House, Epcot’s Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, or Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Hollywood and Vine – you can enjoy some pretty hearty breakfast fare while visiting with some of your Meeting Minnie at Chef Mickey'sfavorite characters.  Booking an early breakfast means you’ll get in the park before the crowds and will be well fortified to hit the ground running! (All character dining experiences can be found here.)

3. Rope-Drop – If for no other reason than to maximize the number of rides and attractions you can experience, arrive at your favorite park entrance before it opens at least a couple of times on your vacation.  If you’re staying on property consider hitting morning Extra Magic Hours when available (early entrance for resort guests).  If you can’t make it that early, get to a park about 30 minutes before it opens (without the Extra Magic Hour) and prepare to make the most of that less crowded time of the day.  Booking FastPasses?  Save them for a little later in the morning or even early afternoon!Rhino on Kilimanjaro Safari

4. Kilimanjaro Safari – I know, it’s just one attraction, but I’m telling you, if you love animals and want to see them at their most alert and active, you should really try to experience Kilimanjaro Safari at least one time first thing in the morning.  Have your camera ready!  I’m particularly fond of the elephants, rhinos, lions, giraffes, okapi, wildebeest, crocodiles, well…you get the idea.

5. A Florida Sunrise – Think I’m crazy?  Try it and see.  The coolest, most peaceful part of the day is a wonderful experience – especially if the little ones are still asleep!  Grab a cup of coffee and Morning on the balcony at Old Key Westfind a place to enjoy the sights and sounds of your resort before it becomes hot and crowded.  If your room has a balcony, sit outside in your pajamas!  If you enjoy walking or running, there’s no better time of the day to get out there and get moving.

What’s your favorite way to start the day at Walt Disney World?

 

No FastPass? I Must Pass!

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In line at DisneyRecently I gushed about some of my favorite queues at Walt Disney World.  You know the ones I’m talking about – The attractions where waiting is almost as much fun as riding!  Boy, I’m a huge fan of Disney’s efforts towards making the wait actually part of the attraction, the storyline, the amusement.  I seriously adore what they’re doing with queues these days.

There are a few attractions though…I hate to say it, but I avoid the standby lines like the plague.  Even after bragging, right here on this very blog, that I’m all Zen with the waiting when I’m in the Disney Bubble.  It’s not uncommon for me to see a 40 minute wait time and say, “Heck, yeah! Let’s do this!”  I have SO many must-do rides, but have found that I’m actually good at staying in the here and now…appreciating that I’m on vacation at my most beloved home away from home.  I don’t mind waiting…usually.

You may be asking – What’s the deal, Lisa?  You’re a pretty big Disney fan and yet you just My Feet Waiting for Winnie the Poohadmitted that you…YOU must have a FastPass for certain rides or what?  You won’t wait?  You’ll walk away?  Seriously?

It’s just that there are certain attractions with standby lines I find I try to avoid if at all possible.  I’ll rope drop, FastPass, late night, rainy day – take advantage of everything imaginable to avoid waiting there.  In those lines.  Tell me you don’t have a few of those on your own touring plans.

I’ll list my top three and explain what I find so…avoidable:

Waiting in Line for Soarin'1. Soarin’ – If I could just bring a snack or something.  I adore Soarin’, but pretty much need a FastPass to ride.  I’ll go early in the day, but if the wait is more than 30 minutes, I can’t bring myself to do it.  I’d rather go sit at Sunshine Seasons and nosh on a chocolate croissant while The Fam carries on without me.  Even with the queue upgrades to add some interactive elements, it’s industrial, cold, boring and causes me to drain my cell phone battery to kill the time by surfing the interwebs, tweeting, checking Facebook, etc.  The Soarin’ standby line kills my cell phone – that’s it in a nutshell.  The cell phone battery effect.

2. Toy Story Midway Mania – I’ll freely admit that I have classic ADD.  It’s okay.  I’m used to it.The Standby Line in Toy Story Midway Mania  But when I hit the standby line at TSMWM, it’s like stepping into my own brain.  I’ve always got a lot going on – in full, living Technicolor.  I’ve got a heck of an imagination, am constantly thinking about one topic after another – like a pinball bouncing around in an arcade machine.  I’m fine with waiting for TSMWM…at first.  The colors, the huge toys and games, Mr. Potato Head talking incessantly – all fun and exciting in the beginning, quickly become much too much.  No can do, ride queue.

It's a Small World Clock3. It’s a Small World – I actually love the “Happiest cruise that ever sailed”.  I don’t care that the song sticks with me for days, I don’t care that there are hundreds of dolls in there.  We’re the same age, remember?  1964 New York World’s Fair – my family visited the fair the summer before my arrival and experienced the original ride (technically, I suppose I did too)!  What kills me in this line is that awesome clock!  I wait for it to do its thing and in between “performances”, I start to notice stuff.  Things that make me twitch.  A man and woman having an argument, parents looking the other way while their little ones misbehave, some unfortunate tattoos – I can’t help it!  It’s best I avoid waiting here if at all possible.

What about you?  What standby lines to you avoid?  Which ones to you love the most?

 

Why Walt Disney World Must Change

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Fantasyland / Rapunzel's TowerWhy Walt Disney World must change (and why I try to be understanding).

I’ve been reading the official announcements from Disney, listening to speculation, rumor, and predictions about the future of Disney parks, and watching the results of those announcements and prognostications explode on various social media platforms.  If it’s not anger and outrage over the replacement of Maelstrom with a Frozen attraction, it’s disappointment and heartbreak about the change in World Showcase entertainment, most notably the loss of Off Kilter (to be replaced by a lumberjack show of some sort).  It’s made me take a step back and wonder WHY are people so outraged by change? – Specifically, what would happen to our beloved Disney Parks if no changes ever occurred?  Let’s talk about that in a minute.

First, I want you to ask yourself this question:  Is there one specific ride or attraction in eachDisney's Hollywood Studios Tower of Terror park that, if it were closed forever, would keep you from returning to Walt Disney World?  As much as I love my top 5 or 6 favorites, the answer for me is no.  That wouldn’t keep me away.

So what has to stay constant?  What will keep me returning once or twice a year long into the future?  For me it’s these five things:

1. World Class Service – The Disney way of treating guests is still among the best on Earth.

Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life2. Choices – There’s a resort, recreation, restaurant, ride and attraction for every taste and style.  Where else in the world can you find so many options in one place?

3. Convenience – I get off the plane and onto the Magical Express.  Head straight to my resort then on to the park of my choice courtesy of Disney transportation.  There are dining, shopping, and entertainment choices virtually everywhere.  My Disney Experience, Magic Bands, Memory Maker, FastPass+, online check-in are, when working properly, all about added convenience.

4. Innovation – Disney’s Imagineers have brought us cutting edge theme park effects and technology since Disneyland opened in 1955.  Through the addition of interactive queues, the integration of modern updates to classic rides like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, and the continued introduction of new ride technology means that our children and grandchildren will be as captivated by Disney theme parks as we are.Sitting Area, Studio at Disney's Old Key West

5. Relative Value – I still feel like I get my money’s worth.  I do take advantage of money saving options when and where I can and overall, I feel like there’s no better place for a family vacation.  I can tell you this – no place else compares to the fun we’ve had at Walt Disney World.  We’re paying to be in the Disney Bubble and it’s worth it.

“Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future.” – Walt Disney

Back to the outrage.  Let’s imagine that everything stays as is.  Same technology, same resorts, Malestrom / Norway Pavilion / World Showcasesame entertainment, same rides and attractions.  Off Kilter gets to stay at Epcot indefinitely, Mr. Toad is still alive and well, interactive queues never get installed, Snow White still goes on her Scary Adventure, Spectro Magic rolls on night after night, and the Polynesian lobby maintains it’s original form.  I know, right?  Wouldn’t it be awesome to have some of our most-missed rides and attractions back where they belong?  For a minute, maybe, BUT – what keeps Walt Disney World the most beloved family vacation destination in the world is NOT through efforts by the Disney Company to try to maintain things as they are.  Guests return for the familiar magic, but also for the new, different, and innovative entertainment Disney is known for.  To remain unchanged is to become vulnerable.  The competition among theme parks for our vacation dollars is fierce.  The “been there, done that” mentality is alive and well – maybe not among us, the Disney diehards, but the generalMagic Bands at Walt Disney World population is susceptible to the draw of the newest, greatest vacation entertainment.  If they can’t find it in a Disney park, they can and will look (and spend) elsewhere.

Change is difficult – never more so than when we have no say about what is being changed.  We’re not involved in the decision making process, we don’t know the motivation behind every change, we didn’t get a vote.  We know what changes we’d like to see, but when changes are announced, they’re not what we would have chosen.  I like to believe that it is not always 100% about stock prices and corporate profits.  I’m also keeping an open mind about things like Frozen in the Norway Pavilion and Pandora in Animal Kingdom.  Until I see what they’re actually like, I can’t make a decision on whether they’re good or bad for their particular locations.  I’m excited about new and different experiences for our future vacations at Disney World.  I’ll always be sad and a little broken hearted when a familiar attraction makes way for something different, but most of the time, especially with Disney, different actually turns out to be better.

Now, if they’d just do something for poor Future World!

Your turn – share your thoughts on the upcoming changes at Walt Disney World.