Category Archives: Food

Disney World Planning – Picking the Resort & Time of Year

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Currently I am planning a Disney trip for September 2012. Since planning is half the fun I decided to bring everyone along on my planning journey. Follow this series of articles for some fantastic planning tips and ideas and feel free to share your ideas with me to help me on my way!

Today is March 6, 2012. I leave for Orlando September 27, 2012. This leaves me a little over six months to plan my trip. The first thing I had to do was choose a resort and a time to travel. I was recently at the Wilderness Lodge to celebrate “One More Disney Day.”

While staying at the lodge I took advantage of the in room bounce back offer. This is an offer left in your room usually printed on a big cardboard stop watch. This particular offer was for 35% off my next room only reservation at a deluxe resort or villa. The savings are truly fantastic, but there are several black out dates. You also must book this offer while you are still a Disney Resort Guest. Once you check out the offer is no longer valid.

There will usually be some sort of promotion for the time period you are looking to book if you can be flexible. If you are dead set on going over Christmas break or another peak time, you may end up paying the rack rate or the non discounted rate for your stay. We originally wanted to travel during Columbus Day weekend as it would allow us to use fewer vacation days. Columbus Day is a black out period as it is a popular travel weekend. We settled on moving our dates up to accommodate the major discount. By doing this I saved close to $800.00!

Quick Tip – An Authorized Disney Travel Agent knows the best times to go, any specials available, and most offer you an incentive to book with them. Did I mention they are all 100% Free?

Now I knew my dates so I had to determine which resort hotel would best suite my needs. I knew our travel dates coincided with the start of The Epcot Food and Wine Festival. This was no accident. It was one of the reasons we wanted to come back in the fall as opposed to early winter.  I called to discuss my options with a reservation specialist. I was given many options including great prices for a Garden View Room at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and a theme park view at Bay Lake Towers. I, however, settled on a standard room at Boardwalk Inn & Villas. Boardwalk is only a short 5 minute walk to the back gates of Epcot and I really want to get the most out of food and wine. This was my best option. I booked!

My next step is making advanced dining reservations. In just a few weeks I will be within the 180 day window and will be able to begin making reservations. This is perhaps the most exciting part of planning a trip! Before I can begin making reservations I make a rough list of restaurants I would like to try to arrange reservations for. After doing this I research park hours and try to see where each restaurant will fit into my plan. For example, we have a tradition of visiting the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort on each trip. I try to plan to be at that restaurant on a night when I am planning to visit the Magic Kingdom as I can hop aboard the monorail after dinner and be on Splash Mountain within minutes of dessert. My dining plans have to flow and in my next installment of this series I plan to show you how I get this done.

I have started my rough list of possible restaurants which include; The California Grill, ‘Ohana, Cape May Cafe, Beaches and Cream, Boma, Le Cellier, Via Napoli, and Citricos.

So here are my questions for you. How do you choose when and where to stay? Also, can you help me bulk up my list of restaurant possibilities? Which restaurant is your must do when visiting Disney?

Stay tuned for my next installment on planning my days and dining.

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Disney World Quick Tips – Don’t waste those Snack Credits.

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The number one rule you should follow with Disney Dining Plan Snack Credits is this!

Don’t buy drinks with it.

It’s an easy mistake to make. You’re tired and hot and probably don’t think twice about handing the cast member your room key card, but that drink only costs around $2.59.  If you purchased the dining plan, you probably did so to save money, and this move just put you in the red, at least as far as snacks go.  You can use your snack credits to buy more expensive treats or even put together a small meal if you’re careful.

Make sure you don’t use your snack credits for anything that costs less than $3.  Instead, pay out of pocket for those items.  To maximize your value on the dining plan, your goal should be to purchase snacks at around the $4 range or slightly lower.

For example you can buy a side of chilli at Casey’s Corner in the Magic Kingdom or a delicious cupcake (that is so huge, you can split it) at Starring Rolls Cafe in Hollywood Studios for just one snack credit. (See picture above)  Healthy snacks like fruit, yogurt, and small milks are great choices for keeping your energy levels up, but they generally cost less than $2.  Consider buying those items at a grocery store off-site or Garden Grocer delivery service (see a list of stores and delivery services here).

Even if you don’t have a refrigerator, individual cartons of shelf stable milk can be a huge savings if your kids are like mine and drink a ton of milk. Which reminds me did you hear the news? All WDW Value Resorts will now have a Fridge

The dining plan just got more expensive for 2012, but you can still beat the cost and make it work in your favor. You’ll just need to think it out a little bit beforehand. Stay tuned for more tips on how to make the dining plan work.

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Top 10 Table Service Meals at the WDW Resorts

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When planning your Advance Dining Reservations (or ADR’S) for your Walt Disney World meals, there are so many choices that it can be hard to figure out where to begin! One thing I always strongly recommend is that you plan a few meals outside the Theme Parks (why, you might ask? Check out my article on why eating outside the parks is worth the trip).

Here are my Top Ten choices for Table Service Meals at the WDW Resort Hotels (in no particular order!):

1. Boma – This one came to my mind first out of all the Disney restaurant choice….why? Because it’s different and delicious! It’s a buffet style eatery located at Disney’s beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge that serves up traditional African style cuisines like Bobotie (a sort of spicy/sweet meaty quiche!), watermelon rind salad, and the infamous Zebra Dome dessert. They serve up breakfast and dinner daily, and when I went for dinner I tried a little of everything and liked every single thing I tried! From the salads to the soups and meats and desserts everything is delicious here, and its a great place to try something new!

2. Beaches and Cream – Come here for delicious burgers and sandwiches in a casual setting, and end your meal with their specialty – those two little words that seal the deal and make this place a true winner – ICE CREAM! Their sundaes are to die for, and big enough to share! Located at the Beach Club Resort, Beaches and Cream is the home of the infamous Kitchen Sink, a dessert big enough for a family of 4 and then some!

3. California Grill – Come here for the fresh sushi, flatbread pizzas, and amazing views of the Magic Kingdom. Located at the top of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, this is one of Disney’s “Signature” Restaurants (meaning it will cost you more per meal, or 2 Table Service Credits per person on the Disney Dining Plan), and in my opinion it’s worth every penny! Imagine sipping wine from their large selection while watching an amazing fireworks show happen right before your eyes…the view, the food, the drinks, it all adds up to make California Grill an amazing experience

4. Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review – This dinner show wins a spot on the list for being the Best Entertainment – it’s a Wild West themed show full of lively fun, song and dance, and all you can eat ribs and fried chicken! Oh, and they serve unlimited beer and wine too! To get to the show you’ll have to travel to one of my favorite places to stay, a href=http://www.chipandco.com/planning/guide-to-disney-world/resorts/disney-moderate-resort-hotels/fort-wilderness-campgrounds-cabins/>Fort Wilderness, a beautiful resort/campground nestled among trees and walking trails, its a great place to visit and spend an evening (or your whole vacation!)

5. Victoria and Albert’s – This 5 start restaurant is located at the Grand Floridian Resort, and is one of the only restaurants on Disney property that has a strict dress code stating that men must wear dinner jackets. The food is as classy and amazing as the attire, as it is changed often to keep it different, fresh, and exciting! They offer wine pairings for an additional fee (with a large wine list to choose from!) to compliment the exquisite cuisine. It’s an expensive place to eat, but it’s worth it – especially if you have something special to celebrate!

6. Kona Cafe – In my opinion this is one of the best kept secrets of Disney Dining! Should you find yourself at the Polynesian Resort, you should definitely grab a meal here – their signature Kona coffee paired with their drool-inducing Tonga Toast will ensure your morning is off to a great start! For lunch and dinner they are serving up dishes with a Polynesian flair like pot stickers, asian vegetable slaw, and their amazing sticky wings. Kona Café is less popular than it’s next door neighbor Ohana, but I still recommend you make an ADR here so you don’t run the risk of missing out on all they have to offer

7. Yachtsman Steakhouse – Serving up an amazing dinner over at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort that includes salmon, truffle mac and cheese, and – you guessed it- several different cuts of steak. This is another Signature Restaurant, and with good reason – the atmosphere is upscale and so is the food, they do it all well, including the steak! After your meal you can take a stroll around the ground of the idyllic Yacht Club Resort. A perfect meal that makes for a perfect evening!

8. Cape May Cafe – Another winner at the Beach Club Resort, this buffet is a character meal by day, serving up a buffet style breakfast with Goofy and friends sporting their beach gear, and a delicious seafood buffet at night that’s character free but full of flavor! The “Clam Bake Dinner Buffet” features clams, mussels, crab legs, and for those who aren’t into seafood – BBQ ribs and roast chicken. End the meal with some of Cape May’s signature oreo bon bons or one of their many other sweet treats!

9. Big River Grille & Brewing Works – This one is for all you beer lovers out there! Head over to Disney’s Boardwalk Resort and grab some lunch at this micro brewery that makes their own beer right on the premises! Try their flight of assorted brews, and enjoy their burger or hazelnut chicken…or my personal favorite, the beer cheese soup!

10. Chef Mickey’s – Just a hop skip and jump away from the Magic Kingdom via monorail is the Contemporary Resort, home to Chef Mickey’s, the only place at WDW where you can have breakfast or dinner buffet style with the fab 5 – Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald! The food is nothing thrilling but is fun and fresh, I especially enjoy the Mickey shaped raviolis and the build your own ice cream sundae bar at dinner time! Breakfast is pretty standard Disney breakfast buffet fare, including assorted meats, pastries and the ever delicious mickey waffles. The real draw here is the characters, it’s the best spot to meet some of the most famous Disney icons all in one place (check out my article on the Best character meals at the Disney Resorts for more info)

When narrowing it down to these ten, I tried to include a lot of different styles of restaurants, including both 1 and 2 table service credit meals, but there are so many more it was hard to pick just the “Top 10″ – so I want to know from you – what are some of your favorite table service restaurants in the Walt Disney World Resorts?

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Top 5 Epcot Hidden Details

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Anyone who has been to Walt Disney World knows that Disney specializes in the details; and I’m always on the look-out for new details or hidden Disney magic that isn’t so easy to find! Today I’m sharing with you my favorite Epcot hidden details that I have discovered on my visits to the park. Enjoy!

1. Club Cool-Located near the Fountain of Nations in Future World, this indoor spot offers cool Coca-Cola merchandise and soda fountains offering soft drinks from all over the world. Grab a paper cup and feel free to sample all you want for no cost at all!

2. Stave Church-At the Norway pavilion, you will see an tall, old wooden structure that is actually a replica of the old stave churches in Norway. While many guests see this building, they don’t realize that you can go inside! Go ahead and open the door and learn about Norway’s history in the mini-museum you find inside.

3. Timeline of Discovery-If you head towards The Land pavilion from Innoventions West, look down to find a large circle in the pavement with names and dates of those who have made scientific discoveries or accomplished great things.

4. Outpost Coca-Cola Coolers-Located at the World Showcase’s Outpost, take some time to explore the area next to the quick service counter. Open up the Coca-Cola cooler, listen, and then get refreshed! Just do it!

5. Lighted Sidewalks-Near park closing, after Illuminations, look down as you walk between Innoventions Plazas and Spaceship Earth towards the exit. You will find that the sidewalk twinkles in cool designs with fiber optic lights! Kids are sure to enjoy this!

Have you discovered any of these Hidden Details during your visit to Epcot? Let us know!

 

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Disney World Free Dining is Back!

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Here are the details:

  • Travel between August 25, 2012 – September 27, 2012
  • Offer is not valid for Campsites, Art of Animation or All-Star Music Family Suites
  • Minimum 2-day ticket
  • Minimum 3-night stay
  • Book this offer until May 18th
  • Free Plus Dining Plan for moderate and deluxe resorts
  • Free Quick Service Plan for value resorts

Details are just coming in and will likely be updated throughout the day.

Here are a few tips:

  • Remember, if you have an existing reservation and you meet the above criteria, you can add this promotion.
  • Treat this like it’s the only offer you’ll see for this time period. I know some people are waiting for annual passholder discounts or for room discounts (which often work better at the deluxe resorts), but we can’t predict if Disney will release those. Purchase this package now and change it later if something better comes out.
  • Phone lines will be extremely busy today. If you’re not booking a hard-to-get location such as a villa or Pop, wait until later today.
  • Can’t get the resort room you want? If you’re definitely going, book what fits your budget and then wait:  More rooms and categories usually show up on the second day of the promotion.

Best of luck!

Chris writes here and at Everything Walt Disney World. She’s also a member of the Mouse Chat podcast and a travel agent. Email her at ChrisW@PixieVacations.com or call 919-889-5281 to find out how you can get a free Disney gift card when you book your next vacation.

 

 

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