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3/18/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World •
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is a combination of Victorian Style and modern-day amenities. This Deluxe resort is located on the monorail loop outside of Magic Kingdom and provides quick access to the theme park by both monorail and boat transportation. An exquisite 5-story-high atrium with glittering chandeliers, stained glass domes and grand piano welcomes guests when you arrive at the Grand Floridian resort. Guests will enjoy live music throughout the day in the atrium. Disney Royalty descends the grand staircase and greet guests daily in the lobby during the Princess Promenade. During the Christmas season, guests will enjoy the sights and smells of the life-sizes gingerbread house and Victorian themed Christmas tree. Standard guest rooms at the Grand Floridian sleep 5 but the Grand Floridian Lodge Tower and Concierge Deluxe rooms sleep 4. Lagoon/marina/pool, garden, and theme parks views are all available. All rooms come with a mini fridge, ceiling fan, coffee maker with […]
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5/3/2016 • Walt Disney World •
On my family's most recent trip to Disney's Hollywood Studios, we decided to revisit Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano, which we had enjoyed a few years earlier. This adorable restaurant lived up to the memories we had made on our earlier trip to Hollywood Studios. This charming little Italian restaurant is nestled on the back side of Hollywood Studios park near the Muppet 3D Vision attraction. When you enter the restaurant, guests immediately notice the lobby walls covered in black and white framed head shots of some of your favorite movie stars from yesterday and today. The interior of Mama Melrose's is reminiscent of a little family-owned Italian restaurant on the corner. The brick walls are covered with record albums of legendary Italian singers, while checked curtains cover the windows and stringed lights add to the cozy atmosphere. House specialties include fresh mozzarella, penne alla vodka with chicken or shrimp, flatbreads, […]
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5/3/2016 • Walt Disney World •
You will feel like you've traveled to the Pacific Northwest when you experience the warm, comforting feel of Disney's Wilderness Lodge. This Deluxe resort is nestled among the pine trees on the shore of Bay Lake. You'll enjoy the close proximity to Magic Kingdom, which is just a short boat ride across the Seven Seas Lagoon. This breathtaking resort features the rustic charm of the west, which you immediately experience as you are welcomed into the lobby by four large tepee chandeliers hanging overhead and two 55-foot high totem poles. The magnificent 82-foot tall fireplace in the lobby is the perfect place to relax in a rocking chair and sit by the fire after a day in the parks. The Silver Creek Springs Pool, which is the main pool at Disney's Wilderness Resort, recently underwent a refurbishment and now hosts a zero entry access to the pool The pool appears to […]
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5/3/2016 • Reviews, Walt Disney World •
The fun and whimsy of Mardi Gras is gently mixed in with charm of the cobblestone streets of New Orleans at Disney's French Quarter Resort. This resort is the smallest of the moderate resorts on Disney property, which creates an intimate and unique experience that my family recently enjoyed for the first time. Disney's French Quarter is located along the banks of the Sassagoula River, offering boat transportation to Disney Springs as well as to its sister resort, Disney's Riverside resort. The moderate resort rooms have two Queen beds and can accommodate up to 4 guests, plus an infant under the age of 3. There are only seven buildings on property and each is equal distance to the pool, food court and the one bus stop on property. Buildings are three-stories high, but an elevator is available for your use if needed. Your family will enjoy spending time at the […]
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2/19/2016 • Disneyland, Walt Disney World •
No Disney Fan’s adventures would be complete without a trip to Walt’s boyhood home of Marceline, MO! Nestled about an hour and a half north of Columbia, MO, this quaint town exudes charm and Disney History around every corner! Take the Disney tour of Marceline - the Walt Disney Hometown Museum containing personal letters, photos, and other Disney artifacts - guided by volunteers who met and housed Walt himself on his numerous visits “back home”. See where the Original Midget Autopia from Disneyland Park was relocated to at Walt Disney Municipal Park. You can then visit the Disney Family Farm and the Disney Barn...as well as see (what’s left of) Walt’s Dreaming Tree - where it’s said that Walt dreamed of being a cartoonist. In the barn, leave your legacy by signing the interior walls, and bask in the wide open spaces of the surrounding farm. Next, walk down the […]
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2/18/2016 • Walt Disney World •
We all have that one place we go to no matter what when we visit Disney World. That place, for me, has been and always will be dining at the Crystal Palace restaurant. I have dined here since I was a little girl starting at the age of 5 and have continued to make it a staple with my current trips with my own family almost 30 years later. What is the Crystal Palace? This restaurant is a character dining, buffet styled meal nestled in the heart of Magic Kingdom. Its look was inspired by Victorian greenhouses of the late 1800s. It is surrounded by windows to give you that true greenhouse feel and allows you to enjoy the scenery outside. When you walk into the restaurant, you are greeted by lush greens, topiaries and a glass roof in the atrium. There is seating on either side of the restaurant. […]
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1/26/2016 • Walt Disney World •
Just a few months ago, Disney quietly announced a new character dining location at Hollywood & Vine in Disney's Hollywood Studios. While “character buffet” may not be the ideal Disney meal, I was pleasantly surprised by the unique food offerings and the incredible character interaction. The buffet was filled with food choices that appeal to even the pickiest of eaters. My personal favorites were the soft pretzel breadsticks, lobster and shrimp macaroni and cheese, the carving station and the array of desserts situated around the chocolate fountain. I also had to visit the kids station for some of my favorite Disney chicken fingers, corn dog nuggets and tater tots! After our professional family photo with Mickey, the rest of the Fab 5 visited our table for some quick photos while we were eating. Daisy Duck, Goofy, Donald and Minnie all greeted us and posed for photos dressed in […]
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1/5/2016 • Reviews, Walt Disney World •
Disney truly captured my heart with the Beach Club Resort! This resort takes on the theme of New England with a Beach type feeling all around. The moment you walk into the amazing lobby of this resort, you will fall in love with the energy, look, smell, and feel that surrounds you. There are so many advantages to staying at this Resort, that it has been deemed my favorite amongst all on Disney property. Take a look at all the resort has to offer its guests! Location This perk has to be one of my favorites about the resort! You can take a brief 5 minute walk and be at the International Gateway entrance into Epcot (you will see France as you walk up). This is perfect for guests wanting to avoid lines for buses, avoiding heavy crowds when leaving Epcot at night, taking a mid-afternoon break, and saving some […]
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11/23/2015 • Walt Disney World •
Situated on Main Street USA, around the corner from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, is one of my favorite restaurants and a hidden gem at Magic Kingdom........The Plaza Restaurant! This full serve restaurant has plenty of turn of the century charm and is reasonably priced for a sit-down restaurant on property, with adult entrees ranging from $12 - $18. The Plaza is open for lunch and dinner and is 1 table service credit on the Disney Dining plan. This quaint, cozy ice cream parlor is small, which I feel is part of the charm of dining here. If you happen to be dining during a parade, you will enjoy glimpses of the floats and Cinderella's Castle too. The menue is made up of mainly soup, sandwiches, burgers, and salads. The Chicken Strawberry salad is a signature dish here. Choosing a dessert may prove to be difficult as […]
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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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