Blog Posts Tagged trip

Eat to the Beat 2018

6/1/2018 • Walt Disney World • If you haven’t had the privilege of enjoying an Eat to the Beat concert during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, you have missed out!!   Delicious food, desserts and paired beverages are available throughout Epcot, while enjoying top recording artists makes it an even sweeter experience!! Three performances take place every night from August 30-November 12, 2018, in the American Gardens Theatre (5:30, 6:45 and 8PM). The lineup includes a wide variety of artists from all different musical genres.  A valid Epcot admission is required.  If you are looking to have preferred seating at the concert, purchasing an Eat to the Beat dining package is a great option!!  In the years past, the packages vary in price and locations throughout Epcot and even Epcot resorts.  The dining packages are currently not yet available, but the Me and the Mouse travel planners will be ready to assist you when they […]

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

5/23/2018 • 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. 1) 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 people so you can select several things from the menu and share them. Between the two of us, we ordered a couple appetizers: the Church Lady Deviled Eggs and the Ham and Jam Biscuits. With the deviled eggs, aside from the fact that they are delicious, the presentation is […]

Big Box Stores vs Travel Planners Who Specialize in Disney

5/15/2018 • Tips, Walt Disney World • You are planning a trip for your family to a Disney destination and are looking for a great deal, but where do you start? You can do the research yourself and book directly with Disney, book with a Big Box Store like Costco, visit your local AAA office, or book with a travel planner who specializes in Disney destinations. If you enjoy planning and know exactly what you want, booking directly with Disney is an easy decision. If you have a Costco membership and want to see what they can do for you, Costco Travel can book your vacation for you. AAA agents can also help book your family vacation if you are a AAA member. What next, though? Well, if you book with Disney, you will handle all details – payments, keeping tracking of planning dates, booking advanced dining reservations and FastPasses for the theme parks or excursions and […]

Top 8 Walt Disney World Patriotic Experiences for the Heart of America

5/2/2018 • Walt Disney World • The name "Disney" is as American as apple pie. Perhaps that is because the company Walt and Roy Disney created was deeply rooted in the values  of the American Dream. Here are some of my favorites areas of Walt Disney World where the heart of America shines brightly. American Pavilion, Epcot American Adventure – Narrated by audio-animatronic figures of Ben Franklin and Mark Twain, guests experience various depictions of American life during key moments in American history, including the Revolutionary War and the Great Depression. Voices of America – Save time to enjoy the sounds of these a capella singers in the rotunda of the American Pavilion as they sing American standards (“America the Beautiful) as well as modern Disney classics (“Let It Go”). Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom The Muppets present Great Moments in American History is an entertaining show where our favorite Muppets describe their versions of Paul Revere’s […]

Featured Restaurant – Maria & Enzo’s at Disney Springs

4/30/2018 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • After our boat docked at Disney Springs, I made my way over to Maria & Enzo’s to look at their menu.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the captain’s description of traditional Italian cuisine to be spot on with their menu offerings.  While they had some signature dishes, they also had the traditional calamari, spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parmigiana.  They also had some other appealing items such as a Sicilian layered lasagna with meat ragu, peas, and zucchini.  I then decided to give this restaurant a try. When I walked in, and started to walk down to my table, I was immediately drawn to the décor and theme.  It’s that of a storied airline terminal from the 1930s, the structure has transformed into an elegant eatery featuring a spacious interior that perfectly sets the tone for a first-class, foodie experience. Not only was it themed as such, but the […]

Quick Service Locations offering Alcohol

4/13/2018 • Walt Disney World • At the start of 2018, Disney World made the change to their dining plans to allow guests 21 and over to be able to order one alcoholic beverage with their entrée at quick service and table service locations. For locations that do not offer alcohol, you still have the option of the standard soda, coffee, tea, or water. Some locations may also offer other specialty non-alcoholic beverages that you may enjoy, like milkshakes, smoothies, or even hot chocolate. Since quick service locations are included on all the offered dining plans from Disney, I get more inquiries on what quick service locations are offering alcohol as a beverage option. The list below ONLY covers quick service locations in the four parks and Disney Springs. These quick service locations offer an array of drinks. Those offerings can range from beer to wine and also can include specialty drinks (not all locations include […]

Spotlight on the Boardwalk Resort

4/6/2018 • 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 […]

An “Incredible Summer” at Walt Disney World

3/30/2018 • Walt Disney World • A visit to Disney World this coming summer has all the makings to be a “Incredible” vacation!  Disney has recently announced several new amazing attractions and entertainment that will be opening this summer for your enjoyment.  Many will be for a limited time engagement!  The “Incredible” summer debut is Memorial Day weekend! Each of Disney World’s 4 theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs will be ready to amaze you with their “super” summer entertainment. Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom will be playing host to the characters from “The Incredibles” and soon-to-be released “Incredibles 2”.  Your family will get to join Frozone, Mr. Incredible, and for the first time ever Edna Mode as they celebrate summer with a “Super” style dance party on the Rocket Tower stage.  All around you, you will be immersed with the sights and sounds from the The Incredibles movies.    Animal Kingdom park will be […]

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 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 […]

Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show – A Review

3/21/2018 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • Wanting that unique and unforgettable family-style entertainment Walt Disney World is famous for? Look no further than the“Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show” located at Luau Cove in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort...just a short monorail ride from the Magic Kingdom! Offering 2 shows a night, Tuesdays through Saturdays, the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show is one to not only satisfy your hunger, but also excite you while you dine with an authentic Polynesian Luau! Fully immersed in the theme, you really feel like you’re on an island! It’s an experience our family cannot wait to try again! Upon arrival at the Polynesian, families will want to check in at the kiosk on the main floor to obtain their dining tickets, roughly 30-45 minutes prior to your show time. Groups are ushered to an area near Luau Cove where traditional leis are given to all, and a PhotoPass photographer will snap your […]