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Category Archives: Reviews
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!
Related articles
- Cruising The Waters Of The World (chipandco.com)
- T.G.I.F Pic Of The Week – Missing Mardi Gras? Celebrate It Everyday at WDW’s Port Orleans Resort! (livinginagrownupworld.wordpress.com)
Father of the Bride Combo Packet 20th Anniversary edition Blu Ray Review
Every time I go to the grocery store to pick up hot dogs (and of course hot dog buns) I laugh to myself remembering a hilarious Steve Martin rant:
“I’ll tell you what I’m doing. I want to buy eight hot dogs and eight hot dog buns to go with them. But no one sells eight hot dog buns. They only sell twelve hot dog buns. So I end up paying for four buns I don’t need. So I am removing the superfluous buns. Yeah. And you want to know why? Because some big-shot over at the wiener company got together with some big-shot over at the bun company and decided to rip off the American public. Because they think the American public is a bunch of trusting nit-wits who will pay for everything they don’t need rather than make a stink. Well they’re not ripping of this nitwit anymore because I’m not paying for one more thing I don’t need. George Banks is saying NO!” –George Banks, Father of the Bride
Father of the Bride and its sequel Father of the Bride Part II are Steve Martin comedy at its best! These movies are equal parts emotionally sweet (especially the voiceover narration of Steve Martin’s character) and crazy comedy.
The 2-pack set is a great 20th anniversary blu ray collection and set at a great price because the 3 disc package has a suggested retail of $29.99. You can grab your own copy starting on Tuesday May 15th (plenty of time to pick up this combo pack to give to your father this Father’s Day)!
Besides featuring hi definition editions of both films there are some fun bonus features as well. There are audio commentary tracks for both movies included (the Father of the Bride II one is especially funny because the commentary is with Steve Martin and Martin Short). There is also a fun feature starring Martin Short and Steve Martin where the two hilarious actors interview each other. You can also view your own virtual invitation and listen to the original score from the original film.
You will not be disappointed with this fun and hilarious comedy combo pack!
Melissa of Picturing Disney
Related articles
- Father of the Bride 2-Movie Collection Coming to Blu Ray! (chipandco.com)
- Bring Home Bringing Down the House on Blu Ray May 15th! (chipandco.com)
What Not to Miss at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Our family had the pleasure of staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort last June. Coronado Springs is a very large resort, and we found some fun (aside from the pool) tucked in our resort. Spending the day at your resort can be so much fun, and it is worthwhile to work a resort day into your trip. If you find yourself staying at Coronado Springs, I hope you’ll take some time to explore the following:
1. Lago Dorado. This is the HUGE lake around which the resort is situated. As you stroll the .75 mile path around the lake, you’ll come upon some hammocks. These are such a nice touch to the resort. We found ourselves relaxing on the hammocks in the sand, enjoying the lake after a long day at the parks.
2. The Dig Site. The pool at Coronado Springs is not “just a pool”. It has a huge, awesome Mayan pyramid with water trickling down as the centerpiece of the pool area. The slide here is awesome. It’s one of the longest (123 feet) on property, and our kids absolutely loved it! While our older boys were having a blast on the pool, I found myself relaxing with our young daughter in the small sprinkling/splash pool beside the slide. The small child pool area has small fountains to play in and just enough water to keep the little ones happy. Another fun part of the pool is the huge water fountain in the middle of the main area. It is not only pretty to look at, the water coming out of it adds a nice touch.
3. Sand volleyball and ping pong. Next to the snack bar of the Dig Site, you’ll find a sand volleyball court and ping pong tables. There were families and friends on the volleyball court all the time! Such fun!
4. The Explorer’s playground. Behind the slide of the Dig Site, is the Explorer’s Playground. Here, kids can play, climb, and dig for archaeological treasures.
5. Quiet pools. The big Dig Site not your thing? Want to relax with your family in a quieter area? Coronado Springs has three quiet pools located in each of the guest room sections of the resort.
6. Enjoy the landscaping. One thing that stood out to us at Coronado Springs was the gorgeous landscaping. Not only is the lake beautiful, but there are topiaries, huge flowering plants, and lush green everywhere. It’s one of the prettiest resorts in my opinion. Just outside the entrance to Pepper Market is a fun topiary of the Three Cabelleros!
I hope you’ll take some time to enjoy your resort. Or, if you’re out resort hopping, check out Coronado Springs.
Magically Yours,
Carrie
Related articles
- Planning some down time with your kids? Use the Resort Playgrounds! (chipandco.com)
- Disney Food Confession – Pepper Market Coronado Springs (chipandco.com)
“The Color of Money” is Coming to Blu-Ray!
One of my favorite films from the 1980s is making its way to Blu-ray for its 25th anniversary, The Color of Money! A young and up-and-comer named Tom Cruise gets to share the silver screen with a legend, Paul Newman. Newman won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of the life-long hustler Fast Eddie, which is arguably the best role of his career. Color of Money has wonderful bouts of drama, comedy, romance and action. Make sure you mark your calendars and pick up a copy on its release date of June 5, 2012!
From the press release:
Experience legendary actor Paul Newman in the role that earned him an Academy Award® for Best Actor in 1986. Newman joins Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) in Academy Award®-winning Martin Scorsese’s (Best Director, 2006, The Departed) brilliant and powerful drama, The Color of Money – now available for the first time on Blu-ray™ with an astonishing digital transfer.
Revisiting one of his most memorable roles, Newman stars as Fast Eddie Felson from The Hustler. Eddie forms a profitable alliance with the flashy and talented young pool shark Vince (Cruise), but all bets are off when Vince’s arrogance costs them more than just a few matches. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of this dazzling classic – now better than ever on Blu-ray!
Related articles
- Disney to Release 30 Iconic Films on Blu-ray (chipandco.com)
- Once Upon a Time, the Complete First Season, coming to Blu-Ray and DVD August 28, 2012! (chipandco.com)
“Signature” Restaurants – Are They Worth It? Part 3
In the final part of this 3-part series (Check out Part 1 and Part 2!), I’m taking a look at the rest of Walt Disney World’s 2-Table Service Credit Dining Options to answer the question, Are They Worth It?
The Restaurants I am reveiwing this week aren’t *technically* Signature Restaurants, BUT they are unique, special experiences that are more expensive than your regular sit down restaurants, and they all will cost you 2 Table Service Credits on the Disney Dining Plan. One nice thing about these is that unlike other Signature Restaurants, with the 2-credit character meal and dinner shows, gratuities are included, which makes things even easier on you when it comes time to pay!
So, Here We Go:
Cinderella’s Royal Table – Dine in none other than Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom, where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner and be treated like royalty! Cinderalla greets you as you enter the castle, and yout get to pose for a picture with her. Bonus – the picture package is included with the meal! Breakfast is an all you care to eat assortment of standard Disney breakfast items including pastries, eggs, meats, and french toast, while lunch and dinner include a prix fixe menu of options like prime rib, fish, and steak. While you eat, the princesses work the room for pictures and autographs. Reservations for this can be really hard to get, so I recommend that you are flexible when it comes to what time you want to dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table
Survey Says? If you have a Disney Princess fan in your party, I say book it! It’s a unique experience, I did it once and probably wouldn’t do it again, but it is fun and the food is high quality, plus once you go you can say you have been IN Cinderella’s Castle (which is pretty cool!)
Mickey’s Backyard BBQ – One of two Dinner Entertainment options at Fort Wilderness, this is your chance to party with Mickey, Minnie and friends as you dine on delicious (all you can eat!) picnic favorites like ribs, hamburgers and hot dogs, and corn on the cob. Enjoy live country western music, line dancing, and fun for kids, and you may even get a chance to dance with the Mouse himself! One difference to make note of for this character experience is that the characters don’t come around to all the tables, but rather they interact with guests on the dance floor. The BBQ is seasonal, and runs Thursday and Saturday nights from March – December, and is held outdoors
Survey Says? If you are a big fan of picnic food and fun, then you should look into joining the fun at Mickey’s Backyard BBQ! It’s a great time, but don’t expect the character interaction you would normally get at other character meals (since they don’t come around to all the tables)
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show – Disney’s Polynesian Resort is the perfect setting for this luau-themed dinner show, which offers up all you care to eat fare like Polynesian-style rice, roast chicken, and best of all (at least for those of us over 21!) – unlimited beer and wine are included! The entertainment includes fire and knife dancers as well as music and dance, and the chance for your little ones to learn how to hula dance (I did it when I was little, it was a lot of fun!).
Survery Says: This is my favorite of the dinner show experiences, I love the food and the atmosphere, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue – Head over to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground for this rousing Wild West themed show, which features comedy, song, dance, and even some audience participation! While you are laughing and clapping along to the music, enjoy all you can eat fried chicken, ribs, baked beans, strawberry shortcake, and once again – all you can drink beer/wine/sangria for those guests over 21.
Survey Says: This really is a fun, entertaining show, when I was a kid I didn’t much care for it, but it has grown on me in my adult years (perhaps it’s the free sangria that has helped with that?), the jokes are funny and it’s over the top for sure, but it’s a good time, and a great way to spend an evening
Hopefully these posts have inspired you to book some Advance Dining Reservations or ADR’s for some Signature or Dinner Show Dining Experiences. These are some of the best food, drink, and entertainment options available at Walt Disney World, so I highly recommend you check some of them out on your next trip to WDW
Related articles
- Signature Restaurants – Are They Worth It? Part 2 (chipandco.com)
- How Soon Should You Start Disney Planning? (chipandco.com)
