Expert Reviews

Restaurant Spotlight: Ale & Compass

3/20/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • Ale and Compass restaurant is located at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.  I love staying at this resort and welcomed the opportunity to try this new experience.  This restaurant was formerly named Captain’s Grill and has been recently refurbished and the menu has been re-imagined as well.  I recommend giving this new location a try especially if you are staying at a Disney resort nearby. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at Ale & Compass and it is a table service establishment.  It was not super busy during the time I visited but had steady dining traffic. If you are on […]

A Hidden Treasure Awaits at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

6/29/2018 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • Does the name Trader Sam sound familiar? If you’re a long-time Disney fan, it should. Trader Sam is the legendary “head” salesman who offers you a hard-to-pass-up deal—2 of his heads for 1 of yours—at the conclusion of Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom.  Don’t worry, you don’t have to trade anything in order to enjoy this hidden treasure. Tucked away on the ground floor of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and down a hallway, you’ll come to a door that will display Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and the hours that it’s open.  Actually, you’ll probably walk right past it the first time, […]

It’s Not Just Food When It’s This Good! Food for the Soul at Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming

3/13/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • From the moment I read the menu for Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming restaurant, I knew this would be at the top of my Disney dining bucket list! This is down-home cooking at its best. Arrive hungry. You do not want to miss an opportunity to sample the foods if you aren’t prepared to fill your belly. 2) As a party of two, I knew our eyes were too big for our stomachs, but the selections are that good that we didn’t want to pass anything up! My best recommendation would be to go with a group of at least four […]

Tutto Italia – Dining in Epcot Review

5/18/2018 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • Italian food is comfort food for many families. Epcot is full of a large variety of international flavors but for those wishing a meal filled with delicious yet familiar options, Tutto Italia is a wonderful option to consider for your next Epcot lunch or dinner. The first question many people looking for an Italian Epcot meal is should I book at Via Napoli or Tutto Italia? Tutto Italia has a slightly more upscale feel and menu over Via Napoli. While Via Napoli is known best for its pizza, Tutto Italia, also holding true to authentic Italian cuisine, has a fuller […]

Resort Review: The Waldorf Astoria

3/27/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • Need a little reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks? The Waldorf Astoria in Bonnet Creek offers just that. Tucked right inside Disney property, it boasts indulgent relaxation just minutes from the theme parks. My husband and I wanted a quick getaway for the weekend for a little “R and R.” We decided on the Waldorf Astoria and were so glad we did. While the grounds were beautiful, the thing that stood out most to us was the exceptional customer service, from the gentleman checking us in after midnight to the warm and friendly chefs at Oscar’s […]

Spotlight on the Boardwalk Resort

3/19/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • As a Travel Specialist, I am often asked where I “like” to stay when I visit Walt Disney World?  One of my most preferred locations is Disney’s Boardwalk  Resort.  The atmosphere is very whimsical and intended to be reminiscent of visiting Atlantic city!  It opened in 1996, the year of my first Disney vacation!!  It is located on Crescent Lake, directly across from Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club.  Boardwalk offers entertainment, dining, and is a short walk to the world showcase in Epcot.  It is a bit of a longer walk to Hollywood studios or you have the option of […]

Carthay Circle Restaurant Review

3/26/2018 • Disneyland, Reviews • In 1926, the Carthay Circle Theater opened in Los Angeles and quickly became one of the most famous movie palaces in the Golden Age of Hollywood. A decade later, on December 21, 1937, Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, the world’s first full-length animated movie, premiered at this theater to a sold-out audience. This was the start of a new life for Walt Disney and the beginning of a dream that resulted in Disneyland’s opening in 1955. Disneyland will forever remember the Carthay Circle Theater and has featured this theater in California’s Adventure Park as its signature building. It’s […]

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

3/20/2018 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • If you LOVE Magic Kingdom and plan to spend a lot of your time there, Disney's Contemporary Resort may be the perfect place to call "home" on your next Disney vacation.  Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of the original Disney resorts that opened in 1971 along with Magic Kingdom and is located on the Resort Monorail system.  The monorail runs directly through this resort and makes a stop inside to load and unload passengers. In fact, it is so close to Magic Kingdom you can actually walk to the park.  This allows you to spend more of your vacation time […]

What is Club Level at Disney?

3/16/2018 • Reviews, Tips, Walt Disney World • Disney Club Level rooms are available “exclusively” at Deluxe Disney Resorts. The following resorts offer the opportunity to stay in a Club Level room, those include Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’sWilderness Lodge, and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. When staying in a room on Club Level, you will be pampered with additional amenities that you would not have access to when staying in a regular room. Many of the Club Level rooms are located to offer guests amazing views. Lounges also […]

Restaurant Review: Le Cellier Steakhouse

3/13/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • If you are looking for a delicious steak while vacationing at Walt Disney World, please be sure to head north to the Canadian Pavilion for a visit to Le Cellier Steakhouse located in the World Showcase at Epcot. Lunch and dinner are served in this quaint wine cellar modeled after a Canadian chateau-style hotel.  My experience when dining here is you will be able to sit back, relax and feel pampered by your server.  I have always found my servers to be polite, friendly and ready to make dining here an experience to remember for me and my family.  The […]