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Category Archives: Places to Stay
Visiting Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort – Why It’s Worth The Trip
Port Orleans French Quarter is one of Disney’s Moderate Resorts, and it’s modeled after New Orlean’s historic French Quarter. It’s a great Resort to stay at, and it’s also a great Resort to visit, even if you aren’t staying there!
So why should you go out of your way to visit this quaint little resort?
Well, there are many reasons:
Atmosphere (and Romance!) – it is a quiet, laid back resort that really encompasses the New Orleans “big easy” style. When you walk in through the lobby, you enter a big open courtyard area where there are palm trees and cobblestone streets and smooth jazz music playing in the background (when we went, it was the holidays, so the jazz was Christmas themed!)
I recommend taking a leisurely, romantic walk around the resort and breathe in the smell of the magnolia blossoms and check out the landscaping – there are several beautiful courtyards with benches in them, where you can sit and relax (and it’s very peaceful!). There is a trail along the Sassagoula River that connects Port Orleans French Quarter to Port Orleans Riverside, and this scenic stroll really makes you feel like you’ve been transported to the Big Easy! This is an especially romantic thing to do at sunset, and if you decide to walk to Port Orleans Riverside, you can take an old fashioned horse and carriage ride through the beautiful woodlands of both Port Orleans Resorts (Here is some more information on the Carriage Rides)
Entertainment – The Resort offers live entertainment at it’s bar, Scat Cat’s Lounge every Wednesday through Sunday from 8:30pm-Midnight by Elliot Dyson, a New-Orleans style pianist who also plays the saxophone, sings, and has been known to play the guitar and steel drums on occasion too. And as if that weren’t enough, he is also hilarious (Here’s some more info on Elliot Dyson)
If you happen to miss Elliot, you can still stop in at Scat Cat’s for one of their specialty drinks, including the Southern Hurricane (Southern Comfort, orange juice, pineapple juice and grenadine), Sassagoula Swamp water (A blend of rum, gin, tequila and a secret touch!), or the Banana Cabana (Bacardi Spiced Rum and Creme de Banana liquor with coconut and pineapple juice served frozen). The Hurricane drink actually originated in New Orleans, which is why these are the house specialty here and are a definite must try!
If you have kids in your group, Port Orleans French Quarter has them covered too – they have a playground, as well as a video game arcade, and every night the Resort hosts an outdoor movie as well as a campfire (complete with s’mores!)
I also recommend that you stop in at Jackson Square Gifts and Desires for a little shopping and pick up a souvenir to commemorate your fun trip to Port Orleans French Quarter!
Specialty Food – Should you happen to get hungry after your walk, head on over to the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory for some New Orleans style cuisine – gumbo, po’boys, and beignets are all on the menu here, and the dining area is decorated with huge festive Mardi Gras decor that is sure to put you in a party mood!
So now that you’re ready to visit Port Orleans French Quarter, you might be wondering, “How can I get there?”. You can travel by bus from any of the 4 Theme Parks, and if you happen to be at Downtown Disney, you can take a boat to Port Orleans French Quarter, its a nice scenic ride over to the Resort!
Personally, I love Port Orleans French Quarter, I stayed there last year and can’t say enough good things about it (check out some of my pics here, and check out this post for more info on what makes it such a great place to stay!), and if you can’t stay here, then I highly recommend you stop by for a visit. So take some time and escape the busy Parks for a leisurely afternoon full of New Orleans charm at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort!
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- T.G.I.F Pic Of The Week – Missing Mardi Gras? Celebrate It Everyday at WDW’s Port Orleans Resort! (livinginagrownupworld.wordpress.com)
Some of the best Disney World Pool Areas
With summer just around the corner and the temperatures climbing steadily, we are thinking of ways to cool off! Fortunately, Walt Disney World is home to some awesome pools to offer some relief from the heat.
1. Stormalong Bay-This pool, at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, is like a mini-water park! The pool is gigantic with a sand-bottom which is a big hit with guests. There is also a lazy river and a waterslide resembling a fallen ship’s mast! Obviously, this pool is on a whole other level and is definitely the best pool at WDW.
2.Nanea Volacano Pool-The Polynesian’s pool is a big favorite. Here you swim in the shadow of an erupting volcano which also serves as a slide! This pool also features a beach entry, which means you can walk right into the pool, along with a waterfall as well. There’s also a children’s water jet play area nearby for more fun. If that all wasn’t cool enough, head to the pool at night to see Wishes over the Magic Kingdom and the Electrical Water Pageant from your pool.
3. Uzima Pool-Animal Kingdom Lodge’s main pool is 11,000 square feet! Uzima Pool also features a beach entry, as well as a water slide and nearby hot tubs for guests who either want to cool off or relax. Sometimes you can even see animals from the pool! This is a beautiful pool for a beautiful resort and popular with many guests.
4. Luna Park Pool-This pool at the Boardwalk Inn has a carnival, circus theme with an awesome slide called the Keister Coaster. This is a great pool for kids; but adults are also known to enjoy it too! Many guests say that this pool is one of the best things about the Boardwalk Inn so be sure to consider it on your next trip.
5. Bowling Pin Pool-Located at Pop Century, this underrated pool at a value resort may seem like an odd choice. However, as many guests are budget conscious, value resorts are popular resort destinations with some really great pools. Pop Century’s bowling pin pool is literally shaped like a bowling pin, a feature which both adults and kids find to be really cool! The scenery is also great with a giant jukebox towering at one end of the pool. The bowling pin pool is also very clean and often less crowded than the 60′s Hippy Dippy Pool which everyone seems to flock to.
Now it’s your turn to tell us what your favorite pool at WDW is. Did yours make our list?
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Disney World Planning – Picking the Resort & Time of Year
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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Top 5 Ways to Beat the Heat at Disney World
One of the biggest problems guests encounter visiting Walt Disney World is the heat! Extreme heat and humidity can really limit your day at the parks, as well as put a drain on your wallet as you are constantly buying Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars and drinks to cool down.
Heat can also make waiting in line and walking through the parks a real chore, especially when traveling with kids. Therefore, to provide some relief from the central Florida heat, here are my Top 5 Ways to Beat the Heat at Walt Disney World.
1. Resort Hopping - This is one of my favorite things to do at Disney World and a great activity to do during the heat of the day. After visiting Epcot or the Magic Kingdom in the morning, hop aboard a monorail and visit the deluxe resorts. You can explore some of the best resorts Disney has to offer, get some great pics, enjoy their breathtaking views, and even do a little shopping all in the shade and away from the sun!
2. Swim/Water Park - Disney offers some of the best resort pools and water parks anywhere! Many Disney pros recommend visiting the theme parks early in the morning and then coming back in the evening; and during the summer, we agree! So if you head back to your resort, visit a pool to cool off or hop aboard a bus to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. This is a great way to pack as much Disney fun in a day without letting the heat dominate your schedule.
3. Shopping/Downtown Disney-Who doesn’t like souvenir shopping at Disney World? When it’s hot outside, head into the variety of air-conditioned Disney shops located throughout the Disney parks and resorts! If you planning on doing some serious shopping, head to Downtown Disney’s Marketplace to visit a myriad of shops selling all kinds of merchandise. It’s a definite a must-see for anyone on vacation to Disney and what a better time than during the heat?
4. Epcot’s Future World-Future World at Epcot offers air-conditioned, indoor pavilions that you can experience at your own pace. For example, inside of the Land, you can ride Soarin’ and Living with the Land, along with the Circle of Life show, and all indoors! You can also have a snack or a meal at Sunshine Seasons, one of the best quick service locations on property. The Seas with Nemo and Friends begins with a ride in a clam shell through Nemo’s world into a huge area where you can see fish, dolphins, manatees, and more in a variety of tanks and exhibits. This pavilion is dark and cool and both kids and adults enjoy it. You can also visit and talk with Crush from Pixar’s Finding Nemo here at Turtle Talk with Crush! Finally, check out Club Cool at Future World, a pavilion housing Coca-Cola merchandise and soda fountains offering different sodas from around the world! The best thing is that you can sample these soft drinks as much as you want and it’s all free! This is definitely a great place to cool off!
5. Animation Academy-Located at Hollywood Studios, Animation Academy is located in the Animation Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. At the Magic of Disney Animation you have lots of opportunities to see the animation process from start to finish. You can view a film starring Mulan’s pal Mushu, meet and greet with characters, and there are even some activities for kids! The Animation Academy may just be the hidden gem of the pavilion. Even though it fills up it is often passed by by people interested in meeting the characters in the pavilion or who only stopped in to beat the heat!
So what do you think? What is your favorite way to keep cool at Disney World?
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Disney Work Planning Tips for Plus Sized Travelers
What to do when one size doesn’t fit all?
With millions of visitors from around the world, it would be impossible to fabricate accommodations that would be ideal for everyone in Disney parks. If the “one size fits all” philosophy doesn’t apply to you, don’t worry, you aren’t out of luck.
There are three main areas where the majority of size worries may arise: rooms, restaurants and rides. In true Disney style…there really is something and somewhere for everyone; let’s look at what Disney is doing to make their parks fit for everyone.
- Rooms: If you would prefer a king sized bed, be sure to request one at the time of your reservation.. Rooms with king beds are becoming increasingly limited so if this is important to you, be sure to note it up front. While the Disney resorts have all of that Disney magic you’ve come to love, they may not have the square footage you have become accustomed to. Value resorts generally have the same square footage (approximately 260 sq ft) the moderates vary in size. To view the room layouts and footage and take a virtual tour click here. Caribbean Beach offers the most space (340 square feet) and the other moderates have 314 square feet.
- Restaurants: When you make your dining reservations, request a table or booth, whatever is more comfortable for you and when you check in at your restaurant, make your request again with the host or hostess. There are chairs without arms available at most restaurants. If you have any additional concerns about your dining experience, ask a cast member; they should either assist you, or find someone who can.
- Rides: If there is ever any doubt that one size doesn’t fit all, take a visit to Fantasyland. These rides are built for little one’s and you’ll find the accommodations are suited for pint sized prince’s and petite princesses. Look around the attraction before you get in line and see if you think the space is adequate for you, some attractions have ride cars outside so you can physically “test drive” them. Disney is always focused on safety first, ask a cast member for a seatbelt extender if you aren’t comfortable with the standard lap belt. Here’s a fast fact-Rock’n Roller Coaster and Test Track have more leg room in the front cars, Space Mountain has more leg room in the back car.
Of course there are far more needs than fit into these categories, so here are a few extra tips:
- The restrooms will all have a limited amount of handicapped accessible stalls which will give you more space.
- The turn styles at the park gates aren’t the only way in, ask to go through the stroller gates if you’re worried about fitting through the turn style.
- Know your options-Different rides and attractions offer different types of seating (lap bar, overhead bar, theatre seating, etc) know what doesn’t work for you and ask a cast member if alternatives are available.
- Check weight and activity restrictions on tours and special experiences, for example horseback riding and the Segway tour have a limit of 250lbs.
- If you have a specific worry that isn’t listed, ask a cast member, or your Disney travel agent or do some research online. Our friends over at Passporter have an entire forum dedicated to “Pooh sized” travelers and they have unlimited tips, tricks and resources!
Know any more planning tips for plus size individuals let us know in the comment box below!
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