Tag Archives: WDW

Walt Disney World Group Activity Must-dos

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Celebrate a Dream Come Trup ParadeCall me crazy (no, really -it’s okay, lots of people do) but I think there are some really fun activities that everyone should do – as a group – while vacationing at Walt Disney World.  I’m not talking about the usual stuff like ride this ride or eat in this restaurant – I’m talking about specific group events that, if you’ll take my advice, are certain to enhance the enjoyment of your entire travel party!  What’s perfect is that these are suitable for all groups – children, adults, friends, family – everyone plays, everyone has fun.

Ready?  My 5 Walt Disney World Group Activity Must-dos:Yoda and Chewie Hats

1. Try on Hats – No, really – it’s almost symbolic of embracing your ability to let go and enjoy being in the moment.  Be silly!  There are thousands of hats at Walt Disney World in nearly every shop, in every park and resort.  Try on hats in each country in Epcot’s World Showcase.  Chapeau, lid, cap, sombrero…just have fun!  And have your camera ready.

Tower of Terror Ride Photo2. Stage a Ride Photo – Nothing says “I had the best time EVER” like a ridiculous ride photo.  Once you figure out where the cameras are, get busy!  You will have to fork over a few bucks to buy the picture(s), but what could make a better souvenir than you and your – insert group description here – having the time of your life on iconic Disney attractions.  Need suggestions?  Check out these hilarious pics!

3. Meet a Character – If you have a few extra bucks, especially if you’re travelling with children, Meeting Minnie at Chef Mickey'sspring for a character meal.  At the very least, make the time for at least one character meet-and-greet.  Nothing brings out your group’s collective inner-child like the chance to pose for a picture with a favorite Disney character.

4. Hunt for Hidden Mickey’s – You can find the classic shape of Mickey Mouse’s head hidden everywhere.  Big, small, obvious, subtle – make it a group activity and throughout your entire visit to Walt Disney World you’ll be amazed and astounded by the number of Hidden Mickey’s there are and how much fun it is to look for them.  Bring a little gift bag along and keep score – the person who spots the most Mickeys wins!  Find everything you need to know here.

Dale in Festival of Fantasy Parade5. See a Parade or Nighttime Show – I know a lot of people who don’t take the time for this – I think they’re missing out on some incredible Disney magic!  The Festival of Fantasy Parade in Magic Kingdom (most days, 3:00 pm) is simply breathtaking!   The Main Street Electrical Parade, also in Magic Kingdom (most evenings, sometimes twice) is completely different, but unique and super entertaining.  See Fantasmic (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) or Illuminations in Epcot – choose one or see them all!  I cannot think of a better way for your entire travel party – be it friends, family, or both – to stop and relax for a few minutes and be amazed…together!  Of all the shows, our family’s favorite is Wishes (Magic Kingdom) which takes place most nights and involves audio, video (projected on Cinderella Castle), and fireworks – all combined in a way guaranteed to bring goose bumps at the very least.  It usually makes me a little teary-eyed.

Have you and your friends or family done any of these?  What are your favorite group activities?

 

Enjoying Wine at Walt Disney World

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Wine Wall in Epcot's Tutto GustoEnjoying Wine at Walt Disney World

I love a glass (or two, sometimes) of good red wine.  I may occasionally enjoy a nice chilled glass of Chardonnay, but predominately I like Cabernet and prefer to enjoy a glass with dinner.  This is never more true than when I’m on vacation.  Raymond has similar taste in products from the vine, so when we eat at a Disney table service restaurant, we usually order a bottle to share.  I’ll add that it doesn’t go as far as it used to now that one of our offspring has reached the ripe old age of 24 (this week!) and has inherited her parents’ taste in wine.  (Happy Birthday, Megan!)  I suppose perhaps this is why we’ve only dined at Cinderella’s Royal Table one time.  I would have enjoyed the experience much more with a glass of wine!  No, I am not advocating a rule/menu change, just making an observation.  But (as usual) I digress.

Back to Wine!  Let me preface the rest of this post with a disclaimer – I am not a sommelier.  I’m not an expert or even a wine snob, really (except I do tend to steer clear of most pink wines) – I Disney's Flying Fish Cafe Interiorjust have developed a love for a good, tasty wine – I’m thinking maybe all those lessons learned at wine tastings on Disney Cruise Line are taking hold.  I thought I’d discuss a few of the places we’ve found at Walt Disney World with especially good wine selections and ask you to comment with your suggestions on where else we should go for good vino!

Flying Fish Café – Just having eaten at this popular Boardwalk eatery in May for the first time, the memory of the delicious food and wine is fresh in my mind.  We loved absolutely everything about the Flying Fish – especially our waiter, Bob!  Should we have needed assistance with selecting a wine to enjoy with dinner, I’m confident Bob would have been more than up to the task of making an excellent recommendation.

Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge – In general, we don’t drink a lot of African wines, so here we do rely on our server’s assistance.  Last time we ate at Jiko, we had a wine pairing for each course and this worked out very well for us.  Kudos to Jiko!  Always exceptional food and service – and excellent wine.

The Wave at Disney’s Contemporary Resort– Raymond and I have only eaten here once – we stopped in for a late lunch, sat at the bar, and let the bartender select a wine for us to enjoy with our Bison Burger – I don’t know which we loved more – the wine or the burger!  Both were top shelf.  If I’m not mistaken, the wine was a Bommarito Cab from Whitehall Lane Winery and Vineyards.  It was an exceptionally great late lunch at The Wave!  Afterwards, I remember Raymond headed off for a massage at the Contemporary’s spa and I, for the fist time ever, went Tutto Gusto in Epcot's Italy Pavilionto the Magic Kingdom by myself.  I can even remember wearing my classic Donald sweatshirt that day.

Tutto Gusto – Small plates, huge wine selection – that’s what you can expect in this cozy little corner of Epcot’s Italy Pavilion.  This may not be the place if you’re looking for a big meal, but it sure won’t disappoint you if you want a snack and a great glass of wine.

The Hollywood Brown Derby – The Derby has my vote for one of the coolest restaurants on Disney property for atmosphere – sweeps you away, far from its location smack dab in the middle of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The food is great and as far as the wine list, guests can select from “Old and New World wines from Italy, France, California, Australia and The Hollywood Brown Derby / Disney's Hollywood Studiosbeyond” (as described on Disney’s website).  If you want a good meal and glass of wine in the Studios, this is the place.

Are you also a Walt Disney World wine lover?  What have I missed that I need to try?  We’re less than two months away from our next visit, so any and all suggestions will be most welcome!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disney Vacation Planning According to Me

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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train SignThere are as many schools of though on Disney vacation planning as there are attractions at Walt Disney World!  If you like the excitement and anticipation of looking forward to a Disney vacation – if the planning is nearly as much fun as the vacation itself, this post is for you!  Let’s talk planning timeline, want to?

Note:  Today’s post strictly covers my tips and suggestions for planning a trip to Walt Disney World.  In a separate article, I’ll compile my tips and tricks for planning a cruise aboard Disney Cruise Line – stay tuned.

Getting Started

Not long ago, I offered a tutorial called, “5 Ways to Ruin Your Own Disney Vacation“.  There are perils involved with both over- and under-planning!  The key is to plan just the right amount!  Epcot's Iconic Spaceship EarthFor me, 12 months (or a little longer) is the perfect planning timeframe for a Walt Disney World Vacation.  It allows me to strategize and choose my vacation options in phases – Advance planning to this degree ensures me the maximum number of options to choose from (I make selections as soon as Disney lets me!) and at the same time, I get to have fun researching, dreaming, scheming…you get the idea.

Step 1 – Decide when you can go and how you’ll get there.  Driving?  Flying?  By Train?  If you’re driving a long way, this may eat up a chunk of your vacation time.  Flying may take a big bite out of your vacation budget.  Will you want to go during the absolute busiest times?  Spring Break, Thanksgiving week, Christmas time – will all be more crowded and expensive.  Best practice – select a couple of weeks, if possible, and price them out using the rest of the steps in this plan.

Building at Disney's Old Key West ResortStep 2. Do a little resort recon.  There are a LOT of resources available – Books and websites both offer excellent information on choosing a location on Walt Disney World property that works for your travel party.  I strongly recommend staying on property (because of the Disney Bubble).  Please consider the number of people traveling with you, your budget, and what’s most important to you with regards to amenities, location, and dining options.  Be mindful of how you think you’ll spend most days – away from the resort enjoying as many rides and attractions as possible? Soaking up the sun poolside?  A little of both?  Compare staying a couple of days longer at a Value or Moderate resort versus a shorter stay at a Deluxe.  Not all resorts are created equal – pick one that works best for your needs.  Choose your resort as far out as possible and book it!

Step 3.  Think about FOOD!  Will you want to bring some of your own?  (We do that – checkOlivia's Tomato-Mozzarella Salad here for details.)  Will you be happy eating mostly quick/counter service foods?  Do you want some sit-down meals or dinner shows?  Fine dining perhaps?  Go back to those books and websites – look at menus, read reviews, make a plan and a budget.  You can find my tips on dining plans here and here.  Lots of people purchase a Disney Dining Plan – it may not always be the most economical way to buy food at Walt Disney World, but for many people, knowing they’ve budgeted and pre-paid for their food expense is a huge convenience, worth the price.

The Flying Fish Cafe / Walt Disney World BoardwalkStep 4. At the 180-day mark, book all the table service meals you’ve planned in Step 2.  That’s right!  Six months before you go to Walt Disney World, you will need to book your Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs).  This may sound ridiculous, but a nice dinner or dinner show in a very popular restaurant needs to be booked 6 months in advance.  If you don’t want to do this, that’s okay – just know that, depending on what time of year you’re traveling, your dining options may be extremely narrow if you wait until right before you go or – gasp! – after you’ve arrived at Walt Disney World to try to snag an ADR.  Even if you only have your heart set on 2 or 3 places, get them booked!

Step 5 – Exactly 60 days out, book your FastPass+ selections via the My Disney Experience Peter Pan's Flight / Fantasyland / Magic Kingdomwebsite.  It’s important to link up all members of your group first, so don’t wait until the last minute to link.  Some rookies tend to make this harder than it has to be by over thinking choices.  You will want to know height requirements for different rides and also which rides are super thrilling versus the milder attractions.  Since FastPasses do not cost extra, this is a great time to get the entire family / travel party involved in picking which rides, shows, parades, or nighttime shows are most important to the group.  All you really need to keep in mind is where and when you’ve booked any Advance Dining Reservations and make sure your FastPass+ selections won’t interfere with dining plans (and the travel time needed to get to restaurants).  There are a LOT of resources available to help you – take advantage of them, this step can be confusing!

Walt Disney World MagicBandRight now, once you book your trip, Walt Disney World sends you reminders of the important booking windows I’ve mentioned.  You’ll get customizable Disney MagicBands to wear during your vacation that serve as your park ticket, resort room key, and, if you like, a way to touch-to-pay for any and everything in stores and restaurant.  You can also pre-purchase the MemoryMaker photo package before you go (another budgeting tool!).

In between all the steps detailed above, research things like typical Orlando weather for the time of year you’ll be visiting, what shoes you’ll need (you’ll be walking a LOT), if any restaurants you’ve booked have dress codes, etc.  Make packing lists, use a fun countdown calendar, heck – get your group some matching tee-shirts if that’s your thing.  With my plan, you have plenty of time for all of that!

Planning not your thing?  Use a travel agent – there’s absolutely no extra expense to you AND they’ll take care of all the steps I mentioned for you!

Your turn!  How long do you need to plan a Disney vacation?  Do you have any steps to add to my plan?  What planning information would help you most in future posts?  C’mon, don’t be shy – leave a comment, please.

 

 

Animal Kingdom Lodge – For an Evening Out

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Lobby at Animal Kingdom LodgeWhen we’re at Walt Disney World, there’s one resort we love to visit, even if we’re not staying there – the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Beautiful and unique, completely different from any other Walt Disney World property, the Animal Kingdom Lodge offers visitors wonderful dining options along with the chance to step out the massive and gorgeous lobby’s back door and experience something amazing – over 30 species of African wildlife roaming around the savannah.

We may have stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge only once, but we make sure we spend an evening there on every Walt Disney World vacation.  We make our visit to this spectacular resort fit into our plans in one of two ways:  If we’re dining at Boma, we head straight there from the Animal Kingdom Park (a relatively short bus ride) at the end of the day.  Boma’s casual and relaxed atmosphere makes it fine for us to eat there in our park-touring attire.  If we’re eating at Jiko, we like to dress a little nicer, so we’ll make time to go back to our resort and clean up before striking out for the Animal Kingdom Lodge – which may take an hour (or more) to reach by Disney transportation – sounds like a time drain, but believe me, it’s worth it!

We try to arrive at least 60-90 minutes before our dining reservation.  This gives us plenty of time to stroll through the lobby, go out onto the savannah overlook, take in the views from every angle, talk to an African Cast Member about their home country, and see how many different types of animals we can spot.  There are chairs available for relaxing while checking out the animals.  If you’re traveling with children and looking for Victoria Falls Lounge lamp detaileducational opportunities, the savannah overlook is an excellent one.

Before dinner, we like to stop for a beverage at either the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar (near Jiko) or the Victoria Falls Lounge (overlooking Boma).  Both of these watering holes offer wonderful selections of African wines and beers (and non-alcoholic options).  Not sure what to order?  The bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly – they’ll be happy to help you with your drink selection.  It’s the perfect way to relax, unwind, and soak up the atmosphere so special to Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Our entire family loves the food at Animal Kingdom Lodge!

Boma – Flavors of Africa:  This buffet is unlike anyplace else at Walt Disney World!  There is Boma at Animal Kingdom Dinner - Meal Selectionsabsolutely something for everyone.  Picky eaters in your group?  They’ll find plenty of choices.  Adventurous appetites?  Yes, indeed – this is the place!  I love trying new foods and my biggest problem at Boma is making sure to save room for dessert.  I love the soups and salads (especially the watermelon rind salad – it’s delish!), then I love the amazing variety of African-inspired dishes from which to choose.  Finally, the dessert selection, which includes the much-loved Zebra Domes, offers a wide variety of different confections – sure to please anyone with a sweet tooth.

Giraffe on the savanna at Animal Kingdom LodgeJiko – The Cooking Place: A bit fancier than Boma, I’d put Jiko on par with the likes of the California Grill (at Disney’s Contemporary Resort) or the Flying Fish Café (at The Boardwalk).  While there is an extensive kids’ menu, this is my recommendation for families with older children or couples out for a romantic evening.  The service is excellent and the meal is paced for enjoying more slowly.  If you’re like us and enjoy wine with dinner, select a bottle with your server’s assistance, or have a pairing with every course to sample a few different types of African wines.  The artisanal cheese platter is our favorite appetizer here and no entrée has ever disappointed.  Even our picky eater (Joseph) loves eating at Jiko. (This is a signature dining experience and does have a dress code – read more here.)

Sanaa – Designed to recreate the feeling of a spice market, Sanaa (located in the resort’s Kidani Ostrich on the savannah at Animal Kingdom LodgeVillage area) offers a variety of dishes from chicken, beef, and lamb to fish and vegetarian selections.  Raymond and I will be experiencing our first dinner at Sanaa in October and cannot wait to try the highly praised Indian-Style Bread Service appetizer.

If you want an evening away from the parks to relax and enjoy some excellent food and amazing sights, a visit to the Animal Kingdom Lodge is an excellent option!  It’s also a great way to check out the resort for a potential place to stay on a future visit to Walt Disney World.

Have you visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge?  What are your favorite things to do there?

Firepit on the Animal Kingdom Lodge's savannah overlook

Exterior Rooftops / Animal Kingdom Lodge