Here's an "oldie, but a goodie" tip that only works if you have access to a working frige/freezer: free water bottles and/or juice pouches to take into the park with you. Unless you're traveling during the winter months (and even then, temps are usually mild), your beverages will easily melt by lunch time and will remain cooler for longer if you freeze them first. This offers you a perfect mid-day pickup, without having to get in line to get a beverage or ice.
That said, most any counter service restaurants will give you a free cup of ice water, even if you're not purchasing anything else. And I've noticed during my last couple of visits that the WDW water no longer has that offensive sulpher taste. They must be filtering it these days. Hooray for that! (We did have one or two cups that still tasted a bit "off," but overall our water was tasteless...just like it's supposed to be. We always take flavoring packets, just in case we get the occasional "icky" cup of water.)
Stay hydrated!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Trip Report: Food!
I love to eat! And I especially love to eat on vacation! The good thing about Walt Disney World is that you're walking so much (burning calories!) that you experience very little guilt about what you eat. Or maybe that's just me! In any event, here are some highlights of the things we ate last week. Some are bargains--yes, really!--while others were on the pricey side. Some were excellent, while others fell flat. Overall, we had a great time eating our way through the World.
Let's start with the Magic Kingdom. On our first day, we had an early breakfast with the princesses at Cinderella's Royal Table (will post more on that later). It's all-you-care-to-eat, and you have a choice of about three entrees, but I didn't see anyone asking for seconds.My husband went for the classic breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and hashbrowns. Pretty normal stuff that was tasty but not fabulous. I tried the stuffed French toast that came with a side of bacon. Wow, it was so rich that I couldn't finish even one of the two pieces. Although the taste was yummy, the grease factor was really overwhelming. I would definitely opt for the basic breakfast--or the healthy oatmeal option--next time. The kids plate included bacon, eggs, and a couple of French toast sticks with syrup for dipping. Let's just say that for the nearly $150 it cost our family of four for this meal, we weren't really paying for the food. For character breakfast food, I'm a Chef Mickey's fan. But for princess interaction, Cinderella's Royal Table is still the hotest ticket at WDW.
We hit Pecos Bill Tall Tale Cafe for lunch. The chilli I ate wasn't bad (not award-winning or anything) and was around $3. Most entrees run around $9, with kids meals around $5. On our return trip to the MK, we went to one of our faves, the Columbia Harbour House, for lunch. The clam chowder here is excellent and quite a bargain at $4.50 for a bowl. But this time I opted for the hummus sandwich, which I also enjoyed. It was just over $8.
We didn't frequent any table service restaurants in the MK this time, but we did partake of the Wishes Dessert Party. I'll write a complete post on that later!
On to the Studios. Granted, we've had hit and miss experiences with eating at this Park. For starters, most of the counter service restaurants have no clear theme that would indicate what type of food is served, so they are harder to classify. We had lunch at the ABC Commissary. The meal was, well, forgettable. But there was one unforgettable treat that I highly recommend: the Carrot Cake Cookie from the Writer's Stop. At a mere $3.15, this is one of those rare Disney bargains. Picture about an inch thick carrot cake, minus any nuts, that's roughly 6 inches in diameter. Slather that with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting (not too sweet...just right), then slap another enormous slab of carrot cake on top. And there you have it. It's heavenly...really. And it's more than enough to share. I now have a new addition to my "must have one every time I'm there" list.
We knew that Animal Kingdom would be a bit of a disappointment, foodwise, this visit because our favorite eatery, The Flame Tree BBQ, was closed for refurbishment. Looking at our options, we thought the Yak & Yeti Local Foods counter service would be our best bet instead. Sadly, we were underwhelmed. I found the chicken fried rice and honey chicken to be not much above the frozen food aisle version at your local grocery store. And don't even get me started on the seating--uncovered, outside. We roasted! Definitely a lunch FAIL. Please, oh please let Flame Tree be open next time! On the bright side, my daughter enjoyed the inexpensive egg roll she snacked on from a kiosk somewhere between Africa and Asia.
Epcot is by far my favorite Disney Park for finding yummy food. Lunch is almost always at Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavillion. For starters, they have lots of healthy options--much of the food served is grown right there in their greenhouses. You can get anything from an entree with two sides to a simple side salad. And the prices are, generally, very reasonable. My oldest daughter had a yummy bowl of black bean soup. My husband had a large pork chop with veggie sides. Our youngest had a fruit salad. And I opted for the large green salad that cost a mere $2.99! We also couldn't resist a slice of chocolate mousse cake! It was all tasty and, again, reasonably priced. SS never disappoints.
We do our best to snack around the World Showcase, eating a bit here and a bit there. This time we had gelato from the kiosk in Italy--yummy, but a bit pricey at $6 for a rather small bowl. We also tried School Bread from the bakery in Norway. This one ranks up there with the Carrot Cake Cookie! At just $1.99, this bargain pastry tastes a bit like coconut cream pie, but doesn't require a fork! We also visited our all-time favorite secret spot: the Boulangerie Patisserie in France. We had a ham & cheese quiche, a ham & cheese croissant, a chocolate mousse, and a large chocolate cookie. Our grand total was right around $15! Where else in WDW can you get that much fabulous food for that little? And it was all soooooo good!
We were fortunate to walk in to the new pizza place in Italy, Via Napoli. Our family shared a large Margherita pizza--it was plenty for our family of two adults and two young children. At under $30, the price wasn't bad at all. And the pizza was very tasty! The atmosphere is fun, especially with the great pizza ovens. (We learned all about them at our homeschool presentation too! More on that later.) We give it a thumbs up!
Outside of the Parks, we also ate at Downtown Disney. I already mentioned our experience at T-Rex here, but we also came back to DD to eat at Paradiso 37 with friends. Sadly, we had already eaten so much that day that we weren't hungry enough to really dig in. I did enjoy the Central American Crazy Corn appetizer, but the portions were rather small. My friend had the Skewered Shrimp and Jicama Orange Salad, which looked amazing. And it was her birthday, so they also brought her a small ice cream cone with sprinkles--a simple dessert but elaborately plated on a magnetized board (had to see it to really appreciate it). And that dessert kinda sums up Paradiso 37: not a terrible amount of substance, but very stylish. Oh...and the service was...well...meh.
I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that we also had a couple of our beloved Mickey Ice Cream bars. Still a favorite, although they now have competition for my fave treat from a few of the new ones I tried this trip.
Tomorrow I'll give an overview of our special ADRs--the breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table and the Wishes Dessert Party.
Let's start with the Magic Kingdom. On our first day, we had an early breakfast with the princesses at Cinderella's Royal Table (will post more on that later). It's all-you-care-to-eat, and you have a choice of about three entrees, but I didn't see anyone asking for seconds.My husband went for the classic breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and hashbrowns. Pretty normal stuff that was tasty but not fabulous. I tried the stuffed French toast that came with a side of bacon. Wow, it was so rich that I couldn't finish even one of the two pieces. Although the taste was yummy, the grease factor was really overwhelming. I would definitely opt for the basic breakfast--or the healthy oatmeal option--next time. The kids plate included bacon, eggs, and a couple of French toast sticks with syrup for dipping. Let's just say that for the nearly $150 it cost our family of four for this meal, we weren't really paying for the food. For character breakfast food, I'm a Chef Mickey's fan. But for princess interaction, Cinderella's Royal Table is still the hotest ticket at WDW.
We hit Pecos Bill Tall Tale Cafe for lunch. The chilli I ate wasn't bad (not award-winning or anything) and was around $3. Most entrees run around $9, with kids meals around $5. On our return trip to the MK, we went to one of our faves, the Columbia Harbour House, for lunch. The clam chowder here is excellent and quite a bargain at $4.50 for a bowl. But this time I opted for the hummus sandwich, which I also enjoyed. It was just over $8.
We didn't frequent any table service restaurants in the MK this time, but we did partake of the Wishes Dessert Party. I'll write a complete post on that later!
On to the Studios. Granted, we've had hit and miss experiences with eating at this Park. For starters, most of the counter service restaurants have no clear theme that would indicate what type of food is served, so they are harder to classify. We had lunch at the ABC Commissary. The meal was, well, forgettable. But there was one unforgettable treat that I highly recommend: the Carrot Cake Cookie from the Writer's Stop. At a mere $3.15, this is one of those rare Disney bargains. Picture about an inch thick carrot cake, minus any nuts, that's roughly 6 inches in diameter. Slather that with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting (not too sweet...just right), then slap another enormous slab of carrot cake on top. And there you have it. It's heavenly...really. And it's more than enough to share. I now have a new addition to my "must have one every time I'm there" list.
We knew that Animal Kingdom would be a bit of a disappointment, foodwise, this visit because our favorite eatery, The Flame Tree BBQ, was closed for refurbishment. Looking at our options, we thought the Yak & Yeti Local Foods counter service would be our best bet instead. Sadly, we were underwhelmed. I found the chicken fried rice and honey chicken to be not much above the frozen food aisle version at your local grocery store. And don't even get me started on the seating--uncovered, outside. We roasted! Definitely a lunch FAIL. Please, oh please let Flame Tree be open next time! On the bright side, my daughter enjoyed the inexpensive egg roll she snacked on from a kiosk somewhere between Africa and Asia.
Epcot is by far my favorite Disney Park for finding yummy food. Lunch is almost always at Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavillion. For starters, they have lots of healthy options--much of the food served is grown right there in their greenhouses. You can get anything from an entree with two sides to a simple side salad. And the prices are, generally, very reasonable. My oldest daughter had a yummy bowl of black bean soup. My husband had a large pork chop with veggie sides. Our youngest had a fruit salad. And I opted for the large green salad that cost a mere $2.99! We also couldn't resist a slice of chocolate mousse cake! It was all tasty and, again, reasonably priced. SS never disappoints.
We do our best to snack around the World Showcase, eating a bit here and a bit there. This time we had gelato from the kiosk in Italy--yummy, but a bit pricey at $6 for a rather small bowl. We also tried School Bread from the bakery in Norway. This one ranks up there with the Carrot Cake Cookie! At just $1.99, this bargain pastry tastes a bit like coconut cream pie, but doesn't require a fork! We also visited our all-time favorite secret spot: the Boulangerie Patisserie in France. We had a ham & cheese quiche, a ham & cheese croissant, a chocolate mousse, and a large chocolate cookie. Our grand total was right around $15! Where else in WDW can you get that much fabulous food for that little? And it was all soooooo good!
We were fortunate to walk in to the new pizza place in Italy, Via Napoli. Our family shared a large Margherita pizza--it was plenty for our family of two adults and two young children. At under $30, the price wasn't bad at all. And the pizza was very tasty! The atmosphere is fun, especially with the great pizza ovens. (We learned all about them at our homeschool presentation too! More on that later.) We give it a thumbs up!
Outside of the Parks, we also ate at Downtown Disney. I already mentioned our experience at T-Rex here, but we also came back to DD to eat at Paradiso 37 with friends. Sadly, we had already eaten so much that day that we weren't hungry enough to really dig in. I did enjoy the Central American Crazy Corn appetizer, but the portions were rather small. My friend had the Skewered Shrimp and Jicama Orange Salad, which looked amazing. And it was her birthday, so they also brought her a small ice cream cone with sprinkles--a simple dessert but elaborately plated on a magnetized board (had to see it to really appreciate it). And that dessert kinda sums up Paradiso 37: not a terrible amount of substance, but very stylish. Oh...and the service was...well...meh.
I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that we also had a couple of our beloved Mickey Ice Cream bars. Still a favorite, although they now have competition for my fave treat from a few of the new ones I tried this trip.
Tomorrow I'll give an overview of our special ADRs--the breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table and the Wishes Dessert Party.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Trip Report: The Parks
You might think that a holiday weekend is a bad time to visit the Disney Parks, and in some respects you would be correct. We did notice larger crowds on Sunday and Monday, our first two days in the Parks. But by "larger crowds," we're still talking about a 6 on the crowd calendar (on a scale of 1 to 10). There were a few extra guests trying to get in their final summer fun during the long weekend. However, using FastPass religiously, we rarely waited longer than 10 minutes for any attraction, with the exception of a couple of shows (such as Finding Nemo, the Musical) where we wanted to get great seats. In fact, by Tuesday when the crowds dropped down to about a 3, we only needed FastPasses for a select few attractions.
Another drawback to early September is the weather. While the threat of hurricane season is real, we were very fortunate to have minimal rainfall during our trip. However, the heat was pretty intense. I personally prefer mid-October. Still, FL weather is unpredictable at best, so there's really no perfect time to visit WDW based on the weather.
Back to the Parks. Our experience was positive overall, but not without a few quirks. On our first touring day, we had an early breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table with the princesses. The 8:10 seating was just perfect! We were able to walk down Main Street and around the castle hub with only a few other guests in the vicinity. We also finished up in time to make the rope drop just behind Cindy's Castle. We followed a Cast Member to Peter Pan (our girls' fave ride) and were second in line after we grabbed a FastPass on the way!
We went on to visit all the Fantasyland attractions we were interested in by the time Toontown opened at 10. A little fumble on my part: we weren't ready for the Toontown rope drop, as it is actually at 9:45, so we ended up having to wait in line a bit longer for the Fairies than we had hoped. Still, at less than 30 minutes, it was quite manageable.
We tend to skip around the Parks while we tour, grabbing FastPasses as we go, since we know how to navigate (especially the Magic Kingdom) pretty well. I don't recommend this for beginners, as you can waste a lot of time crossing the Parks if you don't know your way around. But it can save you time in the long run if you tour with intent. We don't personally create a specific touring plan, as we find that too restrictive for our family's needs, but we do follow a few rules, such as (1) always use FastPass when it's available, (2) hit the more popular attractions earlier in the day--at least to grab a FastPass, and (3) start the day early, at rope drop when possible.
We were able to see more on this particular trip than in any past visit. For starters, we were in the Parks six consecutive days (previous trips have typically been 3-5 days). I do think we might have enjoyed our time a bit more if we had taken a day to rest in the middle, as we have previous years. We also enjoy shopping at the character outlets, having tea the Grand Floridian, and just exploring Orlando--things we just didn't have time to do without that mid-week break.
Wait times were excellent on this visit. As I mentioned, we rarely waited longer than ten minutes for any attraction, and we often left at the end of the evening with a pocket full of unused FastPasses because they simply were not needed. (But I always get them...just in case.) Because of the short wait times, we were able to visit a few attractions we hadn't experienced before. For one, the Swiss Family Tree House. While not spectacularly exciting, it was interesting enough to my girls who had just watched the movie in the last month. Another new-to-us attraction: Tom Sawyer Island. You could really spend as much time as you'd like exploring this area, but we kept it relatively brief. We visited in the afternoon, but if you happen to go in the morning, you might be lucky enough to find a paint brush left behind by our hero. Turn it in to a CM and you'll get a special surprise.
We did have a few less-than-magical experiences in the Parks. For starters, it seemed that there were an inordinate number of attractions having issues this trip. We were stopped numerous times on Peter Pan (fortunately, our kids like this one and weren't frightened). We also tried repeatedly to see Muppet 3-D Vision at the Studios and were told it was experiencing technical difficulties. Most disappointing was when we returned to Toy Story Midway Mania with our FastPasses at the end of the day, only to be ushered out of the line when it too had technical difficulties. Sadly, it did not reopen that day, but fortunately we had ridden it at opening. There were other attractions with minor issues, but most were resolved in minutes, rather than hours.
We were able to see a few characters that we hadn't seen before. Lotso, from Toy Story 3is new at the Studios, and we saw a few characters that we had missed on previous trips. But we did have a few negative character experiences. In Epcot (France), after standing in line to see Marie from the Aristocats, we were told that she would "have a saucer of milk" and return in less than five minutes. It was at least ten, and perhaps closer to fifteen...time we probably would not have wasted had we known. Our bad luck put us in that position more than once, but in most cases the characters did return in just a few brief minutes.
Overall, our experience with Cast Members was excellent. However, we did encounter the occasional CM who took a page out of Grumpy's book. There was the CM at the gelato kiosk in Italy (Epcot) who could not--or would not--give me a cup of water with my $6 gelato. There was also the "helpful" CM at the FastPass machines at Thunder Mountain Railroad who insisted I did not need a FastPass (told me I was wasting my time, in fact, somewhat curtly), because the line would not get over a 5 minute wait all day and it would actually be slower to use the FastPass line. I said thank you but that I would grab one "just in case." I was glad I did when our family breezed by dozens of guests waiting in a line that was at least 20 minutes long. And although this CM was probably just doing as she was told, I was a bit miffed that I was not allowed to push our stroller with our sleeping, sick preschooler into the air-conditioned lobby of The American Adventure so that I could hear a few notes of the Voices of Liberty (which I had crossed the lagoon especially to see at their last performance of the day), despite my pleas that we had no intention of moving into the theater and merely wanted to hear a quick tune from my favorite ensemble in the World. In the end, my husband sat with said preschooler in the neighboring counter service restaurant while our older daughter and I watched the 15-minute VOL show. It was lovely, but I was not a happy camper at that point. (Picture Mama Bear watching over her sick cub...not pretty.)
These experiences, of course, were peppered among the fine folks that called my girls "princess," offered stickers, and stopped to ask about our volunteer experience when they saw my "Honorary VoluntEAR" button. Still, at WDW you begin to expect a stellar, magical experience. When one CM's attitude falls flat, it really stands out.
One final negative I will mention involves Animal Kingdom. AK has admittedly always been my least favorite park. I ge that they want you to feel like you're walking through the crowded streets of Asia...or the dense jungles of Africa. But the congested walkways are not my favorite. And, going along with this theme, I get that perhaps they want you to embrace the hot sun that beams on the African plain, but I really don't want to experience this while I'm eating. Case in point, the Yak & Yeti. Not only is the counter service seating area outdoors, it is not covered. Sure there were about a half dozen table umbrellas, but those were few and far between. One bonus, we burned off, literally, all the calories in our honey chicken and rice while we ate. Seriously, it was all but unbearable.
I think I have already overstepped my word count for the day. Tomorrow I'll tackle some of my favorite--and a few not-so-favorite--food experiences at Walt Disney World.
Another drawback to early September is the weather. While the threat of hurricane season is real, we were very fortunate to have minimal rainfall during our trip. However, the heat was pretty intense. I personally prefer mid-October. Still, FL weather is unpredictable at best, so there's really no perfect time to visit WDW based on the weather.
Back to the Parks. Our experience was positive overall, but not without a few quirks. On our first touring day, we had an early breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table with the princesses. The 8:10 seating was just perfect! We were able to walk down Main Street and around the castle hub with only a few other guests in the vicinity. We also finished up in time to make the rope drop just behind Cindy's Castle. We followed a Cast Member to Peter Pan (our girls' fave ride) and were second in line after we grabbed a FastPass on the way!
Cindy's Castle at 8:00 a.m.
We went on to visit all the Fantasyland attractions we were interested in by the time Toontown opened at 10. A little fumble on my part: we weren't ready for the Toontown rope drop, as it is actually at 9:45, so we ended up having to wait in line a bit longer for the Fairies than we had hoped. Still, at less than 30 minutes, it was quite manageable.
We tend to skip around the Parks while we tour, grabbing FastPasses as we go, since we know how to navigate (especially the Magic Kingdom) pretty well. I don't recommend this for beginners, as you can waste a lot of time crossing the Parks if you don't know your way around. But it can save you time in the long run if you tour with intent. We don't personally create a specific touring plan, as we find that too restrictive for our family's needs, but we do follow a few rules, such as (1) always use FastPass when it's available, (2) hit the more popular attractions earlier in the day--at least to grab a FastPass, and (3) start the day early, at rope drop when possible.
Rope Drop at Epcot
We were able to see more on this particular trip than in any past visit. For starters, we were in the Parks six consecutive days (previous trips have typically been 3-5 days). I do think we might have enjoyed our time a bit more if we had taken a day to rest in the middle, as we have previous years. We also enjoy shopping at the character outlets, having tea the Grand Floridian, and just exploring Orlando--things we just didn't have time to do without that mid-week break.
Wait times were excellent on this visit. As I mentioned, we rarely waited longer than ten minutes for any attraction, and we often left at the end of the evening with a pocket full of unused FastPasses because they simply were not needed. (But I always get them...just in case.) Because of the short wait times, we were able to visit a few attractions we hadn't experienced before. For one, the Swiss Family Tree House. While not spectacularly exciting, it was interesting enough to my girls who had just watched the movie in the last month. Another new-to-us attraction: Tom Sawyer Island. You could really spend as much time as you'd like exploring this area, but we kept it relatively brief. We visited in the afternoon, but if you happen to go in the morning, you might be lucky enough to find a paint brush left behind by our hero. Turn it in to a CM and you'll get a special surprise.
We did have a few less-than-magical experiences in the Parks. For starters, it seemed that there were an inordinate number of attractions having issues this trip. We were stopped numerous times on Peter Pan (fortunately, our kids like this one and weren't frightened). We also tried repeatedly to see Muppet 3-D Vision at the Studios and were told it was experiencing technical difficulties. Most disappointing was when we returned to Toy Story Midway Mania with our FastPasses at the end of the day, only to be ushered out of the line when it too had technical difficulties. Sadly, it did not reopen that day, but fortunately we had ridden it at opening. There were other attractions with minor issues, but most were resolved in minutes, rather than hours.
We were able to see a few characters that we hadn't seen before. Lotso, from Toy Story 3is new at the Studios, and we saw a few characters that we had missed on previous trips. But we did have a few negative character experiences. In Epcot (France), after standing in line to see Marie from the Aristocats, we were told that she would "have a saucer of milk" and return in less than five minutes. It was at least ten, and perhaps closer to fifteen...time we probably would not have wasted had we known. Our bad luck put us in that position more than once, but in most cases the characters did return in just a few brief minutes.
Overall, our experience with Cast Members was excellent. However, we did encounter the occasional CM who took a page out of Grumpy's book. There was the CM at the gelato kiosk in Italy (Epcot) who could not--or would not--give me a cup of water with my $6 gelato. There was also the "helpful" CM at the FastPass machines at Thunder Mountain Railroad who insisted I did not need a FastPass (told me I was wasting my time, in fact, somewhat curtly), because the line would not get over a 5 minute wait all day and it would actually be slower to use the FastPass line. I said thank you but that I would grab one "just in case." I was glad I did when our family breezed by dozens of guests waiting in a line that was at least 20 minutes long. And although this CM was probably just doing as she was told, I was a bit miffed that I was not allowed to push our stroller with our sleeping, sick preschooler into the air-conditioned lobby of The American Adventure so that I could hear a few notes of the Voices of Liberty (which I had crossed the lagoon especially to see at their last performance of the day), despite my pleas that we had no intention of moving into the theater and merely wanted to hear a quick tune from my favorite ensemble in the World. In the end, my husband sat with said preschooler in the neighboring counter service restaurant while our older daughter and I watched the 15-minute VOL show. It was lovely, but I was not a happy camper at that point. (Picture Mama Bear watching over her sick cub...not pretty.)
These experiences, of course, were peppered among the fine folks that called my girls "princess," offered stickers, and stopped to ask about our volunteer experience when they saw my "Honorary VoluntEAR" button. Still, at WDW you begin to expect a stellar, magical experience. When one CM's attitude falls flat, it really stands out.
One final negative I will mention involves Animal Kingdom. AK has admittedly always been my least favorite park. I ge that they want you to feel like you're walking through the crowded streets of Asia...or the dense jungles of Africa. But the congested walkways are not my favorite. And, going along with this theme, I get that perhaps they want you to embrace the hot sun that beams on the African plain, but I really don't want to experience this while I'm eating. Case in point, the Yak & Yeti. Not only is the counter service seating area outdoors, it is not covered. Sure there were about a half dozen table umbrellas, but those were few and far between. One bonus, we burned off, literally, all the calories in our honey chicken and rice while we ate. Seriously, it was all but unbearable.
I think I have already overstepped my word count for the day. Tomorrow I'll tackle some of my favorite--and a few not-so-favorite--food experiences at Walt Disney World.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Trip Report: Arrival
Wow, have I been busy. We pulled into Nashville on Sunday afternoon, but then had to make a trip across town to pick up our puppy from the grandparents and visit some cousins while we were at it. Needless to say, we didn't get back to our home--where we had simply dumped the contents of our car in the floor--until nearly bedtime. We unpacked only the necessities and went to bed. As of Monday evening, there are still backpacks and bags to be unpacked and piles of things to be put away...and, of course, the laundry.
That said, there's really no way for me to report on our entire trip in just one post. There's simply too much to tell. So, instead, I'll start with our arrival and see how far I get. This is merely skimming the surface, mind you. We will delve deeper in upcoming posts.
We left TN on Friday afternoon and spent the night at my brother's home in Stone Mountain, GA. With conflicting reports from our GPS and Google Maps, we got up a bit earlier than really necessary, making it on the road by around 7. (We didn't want to take any chances, as Guest Relations at Downtown Disney--the location where we were told to pick up our Homeschool Days tickets--closed at 4:00.) Even with many potty and snack stops, as well as a visit to our fave FL Welcome Center for a quick cup of OJ, we made it with time to spare. We went straight to DD and got our tickets, with only one minor glitch (the CM tried to make me pay for them again, though I had pre-paid) that was remedied quickly. With tickets in hand, we hopped over to T-Rex to experience the Chocolate Extinction. We enjoyed the atmosphere--especially since we had just completed a unit study on dinosaurs in our homeschooling! The menu is pretty pricey, but we found the dessert to be very reasonably priced, even at $14.95. It easily feeds 4, and we actually had an entire slice of cake leftover.
After shopping at the World of Disney and Once Upon a Toy stores, we headed to Coronado Springs to check in. I intentionally skipped the online check-in this time, hoping I could perhaps get an upgrade or request a specific section of the resort (since online you can only make requests such as "near transportation" or "ground floor"). Sadly, waiting actually backfired this time, as there was no availability in the area we were hoping for, but the CM did switch us to a "better room"--whatever that meant.
Overall, I like the look of CS. The rooms have a clean, islandy feel. I love the dark wood with the turquoise trim, and I'm especially fond of the sliding doors that separate the bathroom from the rest of the room. I did, however, miss the table (there's only a desk), especially at breakfast time. And the bathroom had only one sink, although the vanity space was ample. We had a couple of problems with our room. First, the refrigerator did not cool consistently, and certainly not when filled. (We had a similar problem at Port Orleans French Quarter last year.) We did call maintenance about it, and they actually told us to turn the dial down, which didn't work. After that, we took all but a few items out and used our cooler when we needed to get something reliably cold. Our second issue was that the bathtub would not drain. We called and it did seem improved (although not entirely "fixed") when we returned from the parks that evening; however, it was less than sparkly clean. One other thing we noticed this trip was the utter lack of towel creations. On our previous visits, we have always had new "critters"--bunnies, mice, ladybugs, etc.--waiting for us each evening, provided by Mousekeeping. One particularly ambitious CM used our daughters' princess costumes in an elaborate window display (I'm still kicking myself for not taking a picture before I dismantled it!). But this trip: nada. Zip. Zero. Oh, I take that back. One evening we returned to find our daughter's sleep toys arranged on the beds somewhat artistically. But, seriously, how hard would a Mickey ear-shaped towel display have been? We've come to expect a little extra magic, and CS left us hanging.
Outside of the initial reservations CM, we didn't actually interact in person with any other resort staff during our visit. We did talk to a friendly lifeguard at the pool one evening. And aside from sleeping and the aforementioned evening at the pool, we didn't spend much time at our resort. We didn't even eat at any of the restaurants or food court. Still, my overall impression of Coronado Springs is that it is an adequate, average moderate resort. Is it my favorite? No. But I was satisfied with my stay there.
Tomorrow: the Parks. I'll explore what was fabulous...and the few things that were not so fabulous...about our time in the Parks.
That said, there's really no way for me to report on our entire trip in just one post. There's simply too much to tell. So, instead, I'll start with our arrival and see how far I get. This is merely skimming the surface, mind you. We will delve deeper in upcoming posts.
We left TN on Friday afternoon and spent the night at my brother's home in Stone Mountain, GA. With conflicting reports from our GPS and Google Maps, we got up a bit earlier than really necessary, making it on the road by around 7. (We didn't want to take any chances, as Guest Relations at Downtown Disney--the location where we were told to pick up our Homeschool Days tickets--closed at 4:00.) Even with many potty and snack stops, as well as a visit to our fave FL Welcome Center for a quick cup of OJ, we made it with time to spare. We went straight to DD and got our tickets, with only one minor glitch (the CM tried to make me pay for them again, though I had pre-paid) that was remedied quickly. With tickets in hand, we hopped over to T-Rex to experience the Chocolate Extinction. We enjoyed the atmosphere--especially since we had just completed a unit study on dinosaurs in our homeschooling! The menu is pretty pricey, but we found the dessert to be very reasonably priced, even at $14.95. It easily feeds 4, and we actually had an entire slice of cake leftover.
After shopping at the World of Disney and Once Upon a Toy stores, we headed to Coronado Springs to check in. I intentionally skipped the online check-in this time, hoping I could perhaps get an upgrade or request a specific section of the resort (since online you can only make requests such as "near transportation" or "ground floor"). Sadly, waiting actually backfired this time, as there was no availability in the area we were hoping for, but the CM did switch us to a "better room"--whatever that meant.
Overall, I like the look of CS. The rooms have a clean, islandy feel. I love the dark wood with the turquoise trim, and I'm especially fond of the sliding doors that separate the bathroom from the rest of the room. I did, however, miss the table (there's only a desk), especially at breakfast time. And the bathroom had only one sink, although the vanity space was ample. We had a couple of problems with our room. First, the refrigerator did not cool consistently, and certainly not when filled. (We had a similar problem at Port Orleans French Quarter last year.) We did call maintenance about it, and they actually told us to turn the dial down, which didn't work. After that, we took all but a few items out and used our cooler when we needed to get something reliably cold. Our second issue was that the bathtub would not drain. We called and it did seem improved (although not entirely "fixed") when we returned from the parks that evening; however, it was less than sparkly clean. One other thing we noticed this trip was the utter lack of towel creations. On our previous visits, we have always had new "critters"--bunnies, mice, ladybugs, etc.--waiting for us each evening, provided by Mousekeeping. One particularly ambitious CM used our daughters' princess costumes in an elaborate window display (I'm still kicking myself for not taking a picture before I dismantled it!). But this trip: nada. Zip. Zero. Oh, I take that back. One evening we returned to find our daughter's sleep toys arranged on the beds somewhat artistically. But, seriously, how hard would a Mickey ear-shaped towel display have been? We've come to expect a little extra magic, and CS left us hanging.
Outside of the initial reservations CM, we didn't actually interact in person with any other resort staff during our visit. We did talk to a friendly lifeguard at the pool one evening. And aside from sleeping and the aforementioned evening at the pool, we didn't spend much time at our resort. We didn't even eat at any of the restaurants or food court. Still, my overall impression of Coronado Springs is that it is an adequate, average moderate resort. Is it my favorite? No. But I was satisfied with my stay there.
Tomorrow: the Parks. I'll explore what was fabulous...and the few things that were not so fabulous...about our time in the Parks.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Friday Photo
If things are going according to schedule, today is our last day in the parks. :( It's also the opening evening for the "Night of Joy" celebration! There's a great lineup this year, but we won't actually be attending. Our kids are a little "young and restless" for such events at this point. Maybe in a few years...
In the mean time, enjoy this Friday Photo!
I call it, "Goodbye, Disney!" This was Reagan after an exhausting day at the Magic Kingdom. We were on the boat back to the TTC. A sweet, older gentleman Cast Member had just given Reagan a Snow White pin--her first ever trading pin!
In the mean time, enjoy this Friday Photo!
I call it, "Goodbye, Disney!" This was Reagan after an exhausting day at the Magic Kingdom. We were on the boat back to the TTC. A sweet, older gentleman Cast Member had just given Reagan a Snow White pin--her first ever trading pin!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Thursday's Tip
Here's a dilemma we've faced: we come to an attraction we're just not quite sure about. Either we've never experienced it, or it has been several years BC--"before children." Knowing the sometimes squeamish nature of our children, we hem and haw about whether or not they should ride. Today's tip: let one parent preview the attraction alone first. Yes, it will take a bit of extra time from your schedule, but it will be worth avoiding the meltdown later. If there's a single rider line, the wait will go much faster. Or, grab a FastPass and hit it later. The parent not checking out the ride can take the kiddos for yet another spin on Dumbo, It's a Small World, or one of those kid-approved rides.
Even better, if you have an opportunity before your trip, do a quick YouTube search to see if you can find video of the attraction and preview it before you go! Nobody wants a terrified toddler on their hands. Planning ahead can save you some grief.
Even better, if you have an opportunity before your trip, do a quick YouTube search to see if you can find video of the attraction and preview it before you go! Nobody wants a terrified toddler on their hands. Planning ahead can save you some grief.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
How I Pack: Mou$elaneous Tips
Today we arrive at our final "How I Pack" post. This one is exactly as the title implies: a bit of this and that. But they are all things that have worked well for us, so I hope you'll find a tip or two you can use here! Let's dig right in:
That about wraps up our series. If you have some favorite packing tips, feel free to share them in the comments section.
- We drive to Disney from Tennessee, which usually means an overnight stop on the way. Fortunately, we have family along the path, so we save $ by not paying for a hotel. Rather than unpack our entire vehicle to get our enormous suitcase that is, inevitably, in the back and at the bottom of everything else, we've learned to pack a separate overnight case for our personal items (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.) and a change of clothes for each member of the family. Such a timesaver when packing back up the next morning!
- I roll some clothing, rather than folding it. I don't believe in unused space, so I fill every corner and crevice of our suitcase by rolling small items such as socks and underwear.
- Again with the theme of no unused space, I pack items within items. For example, I don't just toss in the empty clear backpack or fanny packs--I fill them with items first. Right now, our soft-sided cooler/lunchbox that we'll take into the parks is full of plastic silverwear and disposable bowls. My small purse I take into the parks is holding various sample sized items.
- Speaking of samples, I save up every shampoo, floss, cereal, or medication sample I get throughout the year and take them all to Disney World. I love having a variety of items in miniature. It lets me take "the kitchen sink" with little commitment.
- When we arrive at our WDW resort, we unpack the aforementioned enormous suitcase into the ample drawers that Disney resort rooms offer. Since I detest the thought of packing up on our final day, I try to make it go as quickly as possible. One way we accomplish this is by turning our empty suitcase up on its side in the closet area, leaving only about a 6-inch opening at the zipper, and using it as a dirty clothes hamper all week. You can easily cram worn clothing through the slot, and at the end of your trip your suitcase is already packed (more or less).
- I know some of you will balk at this, but we drive from our resort to the parks. (It really is a packing tip...wait for it.) Yes, Disney transportation is reliable. And yes, it's efficient (most of the time). But there are advantages to having your own vehicle. First and foremost, we don't have to wait in the never-ending bus line at park closing. Also, you have the ability to leave and eat off-property if you wish. (We've done this when meeting up with friends from the area who didn't have park tickets.) And here's the packing tip: we keep a small cooler of beverages in our car where we can stop and reload our "lunch box" as we park hop. It's a refreshing break and an opportunity to load/unload anything else we might need.
- We make our kids carry their own snacks. Yep, I'm the "mean mommy." But seriously, each girl has her own little fanny pack. Inside she has 2 snacks--usually one that's somewhat healthy and one that's more of a treat. This offers them easy access, and gives them the responsibility to make them last between meals.
- We have saved a couple of tubes from miniature M&Ms. These make great holders for quarters and shiny pennies for the pressed penny machines around the property. Film canisters work too (but who uses film anymore?).
That about wraps up our series. If you have some favorite packing tips, feel free to share them in the comments section.
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