Blog Posts Tagged review

Resort Spotlight: Loews Sapphire Falls at Universal Orlando

10/15/2021 • Reviews, Universal Studios • An exciting, new resort opened on Universal Orlando property in July 2016.  Loews Sapphire Falls is a beautiful resort conveniently located one mile from the entrance of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  Full of lush Caribbean scenery and breathtaking waterfalls, this resort hotel is sure to make you feel like you are in a relaxing tropical paradise, not in the middle of a theme park. Walking into the lobby of this resort was very impressive.  The spacious lobby is decked out with a giant beach ball chandelier. You can also see a view of Islands of Adventure from the windows. The check-in process was absolutely flawless. The desk staff was extremely friendly and efficient.   It took only 10 minutes from check-in to being in my room! My room had two queen beds and a standard view. However, I still had a great view of the water surrounding the resort.  Each room comes […]

Disneyland’s Grand Californian – Review

10/1/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews • Our home away from home. Goodness, I love this place! For the past several years, my family has chosen to stay at the Grand Californian at the Disneyland Resort. We have stayed at other Disney hotels as well as several Good Neighbor hotels, but we keep coming back to the Grand Californian because it simply has everything we are looking for! Disneyland's Grand Californian Resort Going OUT! The location of this beautiful hotel cannot be beat. Laying at the edge of Disney’s California Adventure Park, it has its own private entrance into the park, and it is just a quick walk to the gates to Disneyland. Many rooms offer premium views of the pool, a theme park, or even Downtown Disney which is just outside the hotel for immediate access to fun! Coming IN! Days can get quite warm in Southern California, and it’s nice to have a comfortable place […]

Pixar Pier at Disneyland- Review

9/27/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews • On-property or off-property? For visitors to Disneyland this is a huge decision to be made. Is it worth the extra funds in the budget to stay on property? Are the rooms really nice? What about the amenities and the convenience to the parks? Are early morning magic hours necessary? With the compact nature of Disneyland and off-property resorts right across the entry, staying on property at Disneyland has never been a huge priority for me. I wasn’t convinced that the on-property resorts were going to be worth the extra fee for a long weekend. But this year, I learned how wrong I was as I spent a long weekend at the Pixar Pier resort at Disneyland California. First impressions make a big difference and from the moment I entered the hotel, the cast members were exceedingly helpful and friendly.  As soon as I had my room key, I head up […]

Star Tours: The Last Jedi

9/22/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews, Walt Disney World • For Star Wars fans, experiencing Star Tours is a highlight of Walt Disney World and Disneyland vacations that has you running back to the ride’s entrance as soon as you get off. As a fan of both Star Wars and Star Tours, the recent movie releases have brought extra excitement, knowing that Disney has added new movie scenes into the Star Tours experience. I will confess that I watched The Last Jedi trying to envision what parts of the movie would be added to the ride. As an extra treat for fans, director Rian Johnson has been reported as saying that as a fan of Star Tours himself, he specifically reflected the ride in the movie. A movie reflecting an attraction that reflects a movie, it’s almost too good to be true! As in the original version of Star Tours, the ride starts with you boarding a Starspeeder. C-3PO is […]

Disneyland Resort – Top Attractions, Food, and Experiences

9/20/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews • Are you excited to finally plan your FIRST visit to the Disneyland Resort in California?! As a first-timer, even if you know Disney World like the back of your hand, there are certain things at the Disneyland Resort that are unique to this resort and are quintessential Disney magic. Classic attractions:  The Disneyland Railroad, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean are all amazing, classic rides, and Walt had a hand in designing each of them. Fun fact: Pirates of the Caribbean is twice as long at Disneyland as it is at Walt Disney World! Best Attractions Unique to the Disneyland Resort:  At Disneyland, Indiana Jones Adventure tops my list for favorite attractions despite the fact that it is still a newer ride, having opened in the mid- 90’s. For those seeking a calmer experience, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride is an original dark ride in Fantasyland. Over at […]

World of Color Dining Package: Carthay Circle – A California Adventure Dining Experience Review

9/16/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews • Journeying to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, for the first time as a family was an exciting experience. Such an experience required a proper celebration of food…and Carthay Circle fit that bill! Carthay Circle, located in California Adventure’s Buena Vista Street at the Disneyland Resort, boasts a grand marquee reminiscent of a movie theater of bygone eras. Inside, you’ll find this is exactly the aesthetic they planned for. Modeled after the Carthay Theater in Los Angeles where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs first premiered, you’ll find beautiful décor, intricate woodwork, and ambient lighting – you’ll feel like you should be wearing your best red-carpet attire! The lobby houses tables and chairs while you wait. There is also a lobby sushi bar, which I am told, has some of the BEST sushi in Anaheim!  The second floor (accessible by a grand staircase or fancy elevator), is the ‘theater’ floor. […]

Visiting Radiator Springs Located in Disney’s California Adventure

9/14/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews • Welcome to Radiator Springs! Explore Route 66 and immerse yourself in Cars Land located in Disney’s California Adventure. Radiator Springs offers rides, dining, and shopping with your favorite characters and Route 66 landmarks. Allow me to be your tour guide. Get Ready, Get Set, Go...Let’s explore the rides in Radiator Springs. Start your engines and buckle up for everyone’s favorite ride, Radiator Springs Racers. Cruise through desert landscapes, zip over hills, hug curves, and feel the wind in your hair on straightaways with Lightning McQueen and friends. Race to the finish line with your friends and family. Everyone wins with this fun experience. Take a quick spin on Luigi’s Rollickin’Roadsters. Swirl and whirl in miniature Italian roadsters choreographed to Italian tunes. Grab your partner and stop by Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree for a swinging good time as Mater “belts' out funny songs that only Mater can pull off. By now, I […]

Attraction Spotlight: It’s a Small World

9/10/2021 • Blog, Disneyland, Holidays & Events, Walt Disney World • There’s so much that we share that it’s time we’re aware, it’s a small world after all! It’s one of the most iconic and recognizable attractions at the Disney parks, and its accompanying song is known the world over, but do you know the history behind “the happiest cruise that ever sailed?” Back in 1964, Walt Disney was given the task of creating an attraction for the World’s Fair in New York with the theme “peace through understanding.” After much thought, he decided featuring children from all over the world would be the basis for carrying out this theme. Walt turned to famed artist Mary Blair to design what would become the most recognizable Disney attraction ever built. Mary had worked on other Disney projects, namely the storyboards for a number of animated feature movies, but this would be her biggest undertaking of all. For Small World, she created stylized […]

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line {Review}

9/3/2021 • Cruises, Reviews • Are you an adventurer looking for endless thrills? Are you foodie hoping to expand your culinary experiences? Maybe you are just a little stressed from the constant full schedules on a daily basis. Whatever your reasons, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line could be just what you’ve been looking for! With 20+ ships in the fleet and 7 different classes this cruise line could surely have the perfect itinerary for you. My family’s awesome adventure took us on an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise with stops in Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, & St Maarten. Each Caribbean or Bahamian itinerary also includes a stop at one of Royal Caribbean’s private islands, either Labadee Haiti or Perfect Day at Cococay. Each private destination allows you to chill on beautiful beaches. Thrill yourself on things like ziplines, waterslides, or unwind like you mean it at swim-up bars or overwater cabanas. Even though Caribbean is in their […]

Snorkeling at Disney’s Castaway Cay

3/26/2021 • Cruises, Reviews, Tips • Nothing is more exciting than going on a Disney Cruise.  The best thing about a Disney Cruise in my opinion is Castaway Cay – Disney’s Private Island! Most Disney cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean include one and sometimes two stops to this amazing destination. This location has many activities to be enjoyed for the young to the young at heart. My must-do during the day at Castaway Cay is to snorkel in the crystal-clear waters. Castaway Cay has a 22-acre snorkeling lagoon just off the family beach area. The snorkeling path is filled with all kinds of sunken treasures including a shipwreck and even some hidden Mickeys. The treasures are marked with buoys so that you know which direction to go while in the water. Plenty of different fish will also be swimming all around you. A net does surround the area to prevent large marine life from coming […]