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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 restaurant. Upon checking in, we were upgraded to a spacious suite with a living room, a gorgeous marble bathroom and a lanai that was perfect for enjoying that first cup of coffee in the morning. Although the décor seemed a bit dated, it gave us exactly what we were looking […]
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4/16/2018 • Tips, Walt Disney World •
Guided catch-and-release excursions allow you to experience bass fishing at its finest—all year round! This relaxing experience provides a break to guests who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the Disney Parks. Guests may choose from Guided Bass Fishing Excursions, which includes a 21-foot Tracker pontoon boat that can accommodate up to 5 Guests, and Bass Nitro Fishing, which features a tournament-style Nitro Bass boat for one or 2 people. Both 2-hour and 4-hour excursions are offered daily, and if available, an extra hour may be added in person at the Marina. A single fisherman may book an afternoon excursion at a reduced rate. Excursions are offered in the morning at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and in the afternoon at 1:30 p.m. All Walt Disney World Resort Guided Fishing Excursions include: An experienced guide Rod and reel Tackle Artificial and live bait Non-alcoholic beverages (Guests may not bring beverages, food or […]
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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 taking a brief boat ride to both parks. Disney Springs, Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom transportation is via bus. The Boardwalk resort is a deluxe property and brings many additional amenities. Deluxe resorts offer larger rooms (compared to a value or moderate resort), valet parking, outdoor nighttime movies, a club […]
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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 no surprise then that inside this building is one of the best dining experiences you will find on the property. Featuring décor of the 20s and with pictures lining the walls of the famous stars that once graced the screens of the theater, you feel like you are walking into […]
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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 at Magic Kingdom versus waiting for transportation to take you there. It is also an excellent choice if you want a time-saving option to bring tired children back to take a nap or a swim in the middle of a hot Orlando afternoon. The Contemporary Resort has two sections of […]
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3/9/2018 • Tips, Walt Disney World •
As I have mentioned in previous entries, my oldest son, is living with Fragile X Syndrome. A genetic condition that causes intellectual disability, behavioral and learning challenges. Even my “typically” developing children have struggled with some behavioral challenges while visiting Walt Disney World. Although the parks are amazing, there are so many amazing dining options throughout the property. Character and/or themed dining is often as exciting as visiting the parks! Character dining offers an opportunity to have a meet and greet with characters without the long lines, nor the pressure of someone waiting in line behind you! In many locations, the characters circulate table to table to ensure you have 1 on 1 time with them! In our many trips, although we love the different locations and themes, often times we found the locations didn’t work for my family. I won’t go into all of the various challenges we have […]
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2/28/2018 • Tips, Walt Disney World •
Heading to Disney and on a budget? Not a problem. I’ve got a few tips and tricks this month that will help your dollar stretch a little farther so you can splurge on the Rose Gold Minnie Mouse Ears you’ve been eyeing. 1. Get a kid’s meal instead of an adult one at the quick service restaurants. Not only are the kid’s meals inexpensive, but they also provide just enough food so that you won’t have leftovers that you either have to throw away or figure out where to store them on your next ride. Plus, it never hurts leaving a little room for a Dole Whip. 2. Bring your own snacks and even lunch into the park. Disney permits a small cooler, no larger than 24” X 15” X 18” which is perfect for some PB and J sandwiches. Other items like apples and trail mix also travel really […]
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3/19/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World •
Innovation and change are a constant throughout Walt Disney World. The Edison, recently opened at Disney Springs is the bee’s knees! It is surrounded by 3 others recently opened venues as well. Each with their own unique offerings, but the focus of this review is the largest of the group! A larger-than-life clock tower greeted us as we entered the dining area. There was so much to take in as we were seated. Even the uniforms of the cast members were reminiscent of a 1920’s Speakeasy! We were greeted quickly once we sat down, and our server pointed out interesting areas throughout the venue to enjoy. There were tables throughout the upper and lower area of the restaurant. She quickly pointed out that in the evenings, the lower area tables are removed, and that area is used for dancing. Although families are welcome for lunch and early evening to dine, […]
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1/15/2018 • Disneyland, Reviews •
Continuing the success of the Marvel films (and my personal favorite), Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! is a fantastic thrill ride that has been re-imagined in the former Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction. The Guardians of the Galaxy have been kidnapped and it’s up to you to save them! Enter the fortress of Taneleer Tivan (otherwise known as the Collector) where he is currently exhibiting some of his finest pieces. Take some time to explore the cases and discover amazing relics – a warlock’s eye, Atlantis artifacts, Loki’s shackles, Figment (from Epcot’s Journey’s Into Imagination with Figment), and Cosmo the Spacedog. The newest possessions on display are none other than the Guardians of the Galaxy: Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and Drax. You will find yourself in the Collector’s office where Rocket has escaped his cage and is now requiring your assistance to break the remaining Guardians out of […]
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12/26/2017 • Tips, Walt Disney World •
It’s finally here! You’ve been waiting in line for the last 50 minutes to meet the man himself, Mickey Mouse! Your 4-year-old has been talking about this moment since the trip countdown started. You have your phone ready to video the reaction on her face and then you realize…you only have 3% left of battery life. Now what? Hopefully you at least purchased the Memory Maker package to capture the still shots of the moment, but you really were looking forward to watching her videoed reaction with her grandparents when you returned home. What went wrong? You had the phone fully charged before leaving your room, you took a few pictures walking into the park, took a short video of the morning show and afternoon parade, posted pictures to Facebook while waiting in line and reorganized some of your FastPasses on the My Disney Experience app. All of these things […]
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