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3/13/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World •
Who doesn’t love it when a last-minute dinner reservation, one of only a handful you are able to find with such short notice, turns out to be such a pleasant surprise? This was our experience with the Maya Grill at the Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World. We had shuffled reservations around during the week to accommodate changes in plan due to the very hot weather. We were tired and worn out, so we ended up back at our resort mid-afternoon when we realized…..we’re going to be hungry soon! I quickly checked on MyDisneyExperience.com to see what was available for the evening and not too far away, and there were only a few options that popped up with dinner reservation at a reasonable time for our family. The Maya Grill at our resort had looked nice when we peeked in earlier in the day, so we decided to give […]
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11/16/2015 • Walt Disney World •
All my dreams the night before was all about the tour even though I didn’t really know what to expect. My husband and I had planned the Trek months before our vacation, and the kids were completely in the dark. We got up early for our pre-park tour (which was also great because we were allowed to wander around Disney’s Animal Kingdom before the general public got in!) and headed straight for the park. We were greeted by one of the guides dressed in his safety equipment, and the kids quickly figured out we were up to something. The guide gave us a brief rundown of what we would be experiencing before sending us on our way to get our gear. After storing our belongings in lockers, we each were fitted with a safety vest and harness, and our cameras and glasses were all secured to our vests. We were […]
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11/10/2015 • Walt Disney World •
Minnie, Goofy and Donald are ready to spend the day at the beach but before they head off, they need a tasty breakfast to get them going. You will find this lively bunch at Disney's Beach Club Resort every morning at Minnie's Beach Bash Breakfast at Cape May Cafe. This charming, beach-themed character breakfast buffet offers a variety of breakfast favorites, including Mickey Waffles, a fresh fruit and yogurt bar, fresh-baked pastries, breakfast pizza, biscuits and gravy, and other options. This character breakfast is one dining credit on the Disney Dining Plan and breakfast is served from 7:30 am - 11:00 am. Cape May Cafe' is tucked away at Disney's Beach Club Resort, which I feel adds to the charming atmosphere of the restaurant. This dining location seems less busy than other popular character dining locations, like Chef Mickey's. In my experience, there have been very minimal wait times at […]
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11/10/2015 • Reviews, Walt Disney World •
Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, a Disney Vacation Club resort, is one of the BEST resorts on property - at least according to this travel specialist! An expansive deluxe resort that lines the lagoon overlooking Disney Springs, Saratoga Springs boasts luxurious rooms (Studios and Villas), two family friendly pools (with the main housing two water slides!), boat access and walkway to Disney Springs, world class Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, Senses Spa, as well as a delicious on-site table service restaurant - The Turf Club. Guests are sure to find this resort relaxing as well as full of fun activities! The main building at Saratoga Springs plays host to an expansive walk-in pool, splash pad, kiddie pool, and hot tub. Recreation Cast Members are on duty for most of the afternoon to keep kids and adults entertained with a Pool Party, Trivia, and fun games for the whole family. Ping […]
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10/12/2015 • Walt Disney World •
I am a parent of a child born with Fragile X Syndrome. My son has challenges in all aspects of his life, and easily becomes overwhelmed by his environment. That can lead to difficulty with communication and the dreaded behavioral meltdown. He was born with Disney loving parents who are determined to make our Disney trips a consistent part of our lives. Are we nuts? Perhaps. I tend to think of my family as goal oriented, determined, hopeful, persistent and perhaps, at times, incredibly brave. We were blessed with 2 additional “typically developing” children. We CHOOSE to live as “typical” of a family life as we possibly can. Why would we knowingly bring a child who has such strong sensory (especially auditory) processing challenges to an environment with an overwhelming amount of input? As I mentioned above, when we became engaged at Walt Disney World, and my fiance’ (husband now) […]
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7/14/2015 • Walt Disney World •
Raglan Road, nestled in the middle of the Downtown Disney/Disney Springs shopping and dining area, is one of the most unique and delicious restaurants on property! For those of us who remember Pleasure Island, Raglan Road was one of the first new additions to Pleasure Island when it became more family-friendly in late 2005. Built across from Mannequins, in place of what used to be an ice cream parlor, Raglan Road brought a new era of fine dining to Downtown Disney. Raglan Road is an authentic Irish Pub - and when I say ‘authentic’, I’m not just saying they have shamrocks and shepherd’s pie. What I mean is that every recipe is traditional Irish cuisine, the physical bar in the restaurant was taken out of an authentic pub in Ireland, live traditional music and Irish dancers grace crowds every evening, and beers and liquors traditionally served in Ireland are ready […]
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6/15/2015 • Walt Disney World •
Driving to Disney with Small Children: 4 tips to keep your sanity Every year my husband decides we should live the American dream and drive to Walt Disney World. Even though my opinion differs, this is the choice I usually get talked into. Here are a few of my tipsand tricks that keeps the family happy [most of the time]. 1. On-The-Road Activities: Get them pumped up about the drive, just as much as the destination. To help accomplish this, I bought my children each a plastic tote, to fill with car activities such as stickers, toys and art projects. Then, we let the kids decorate their box to their liking. One of my daughters chose classic Disney characters and the other was creative with Star Wars theming. We went to their room and choose some of their favorite toys that would entertain them for 10 minutes or more: books, magnetic […]
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9/22/2014 • Walt Disney World •
Cruise right in for a memorable meal at Hollywood Studios Sci-Fi Dine-In. This Hollywood sound stage takes you back to the era of drive-ins and sock hops. Your family will enjoy sitting underneath a sky full of your twinkling stars in your “automo-booth or table” as classic black and white science fiction clips and commercials play on the big screen. You will find classic 50’s drive-in foods, such as onion rings, milkshakes (be sure to ask about the milkshake of the day!) and build-your-own burgers, but that’s not all. The menu hosts other memorable dishes, such as New York Strip Steak, Smoked Turkey sandwiches, and St. Louis-style Pork Ribs. Your children will find a wide variety of choices on the kid’s menu, such as popcorn chicken, mac-n-cheese, cheeseburgers, and grilled salmon to just name a few. You’ll want to save room for another milkshake for dessert or perhaps some warm […]
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4/24/2023 • Walt Disney World •
When my family started planning our recent August vacation to Walt Disney World, there was one place that I knew we would need to book. While everyone has a favorite restaurant and character meal, The Garden Grill in Epcot’s Land Pavillion is always at the top of their list. We have enjoyed dinner here on our last three visits to the parks. What makes this restaurant so special? EVERYTHING!!! The Garden Grill is located in Future World of Epcot. The restaurant slowly rotates as you enjoy your meal and interact with Farmer Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale. By the time you have finished your meal, you have made one full revolution within the scenes of the Living with The Land attraction. Note: You will want to make sure that you enjoy this attraction that travels through the greenhouses before dinner. Your kids will be amazed to see how they are […]
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8/16/2014 • Walt Disney World •
“You had better eat your veggies if you want dessert!” Looking for a delicious meal and a memorable experience, then book a dining reservation at 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Dining reservations can be made 180 days in advance and are highly recommended. If your “Aunt” is busy in the kitchen getting things ready, you may get to spend time in “Dad’s TV Room” for a little bit watching classics television shows like Father Knows Best and the original Mickey Mouse Club. When it’s time for dinner, don’t be surprised if one of your “cousins” yells that it’s time to eat!!! When it’s dinner time, get ready to step back into mom’s kitchen in the 1950’s. For a special treat, you’re allowed to watch TV at the dinner table today! While dining around the Formica dinner table, enjoy black-and-white television clips from popular prime-time shows circa 1955. […]
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