Food, Food, Food Part 1

Did you know that Walt Disney World has some awesome restaurants and if you plan accordingly, you won't have to eat one cheeseburger or slice of theme park pizza while you vacation there.

One of the things we love about Disney is the food. There are tons of places to choose to eat, from nice sit down restaurants, to quick service restaurants, to food cart vendors.

I've been to Walt Disney World over 25 times and have still not eaten at all of the restaurants they have to offer. I doubt I ever will considering some of them don't cater to my limited palate.

When people always ask me which restaurants I recommend I usually have to make a list because there are so many good places. The next few weeks I am going to make some restaurant recommendations for you.

First up is character dining. Character dining consists of a meal (buffet, family style, or regular) where the characters come to your table. They will spend a couple of minutes with you to sign autographs and take pictures. Doing these meals are fun and they will save you some time waiting in line to meet all of your favorites.

When they want recommendations for character dining I recommend the following:

Crystal Palace: Located in the Magic Kingdom with views of Cinderella Castle, this restaurant offers a typical American buffet as food choices. The big draw for this place is meeting characters from Hundred Acre Wood, including Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore. Some of these characters do not do meet and greets in the park so this is the only place to get to see them. The characters sometimes sing and dance with the kids around the restaurant. I tell people to try and get a pre-park opening breakfast at this restaurant so they can be in the park to get some awesome photos of Cinderella Castle without anyone else in it. If you are on the dining plan this table service buffet takes 1 dining credit per person. Park ticket is required to enter the Magic Kingdom to dine at this restaurant.

Chef Mickey's: This one is located in Disney's Contemporary Resort. It does not require a park ticket to get in. We have done breakfast and dinner here. This place is loud and fun with singing and dancing. You get to meet the Fab 5, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. There is typical buffet foods but we like it. If you are on the dining plan, this buffet takes 1 table service credit per person.

1900 Park Fare: This is another buffet that is located in a resort, Disney's Grand Floridian, and does not take a park ticket to enter. There are different characters depending on which meal you eat there. Breakfast has Mary Poppins, Alice, and Mad Hatter. Dinner has Cinderella, Prince Charming, the Step Sisters, and Step Mother. We have eaten breakfast here and loved meeting Mary and Hatter. They were so engaging but I've heard that the Step Sisters are fabulous at dinner. They propose marriage to lots of boys and men hoping for an acceptance. Because Cinderella is at this one, I usually recommend it to people that cannot get a reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table. This buffet takes 1 table service per person.

Cinderella's Royal Table: This is one of those difficult to get reservations that you have to try for right at 180 days before your vacation. This meal is in Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom. Cinderella is at the bottom of the stairs for a photo and then you climb some curved stairs to the dining room. There are beautiful stained glass windows looking out over Fantasyland. You will be greeted by different princesses throughout your meal. We met Cinderella (in the lobby), Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, and Snow White. Before the meal someone comes around with toy wands and swords for each guest. My mom and I chose a wand, my daughter chose a sword.  The meal is a plated meal and there are only a few choices. It is a little more expensive and if you have the dining plan it takes 2 dining credits. Since it is in the Magic Kingdom, you need a park ticket to dine here.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall: The Epcot Norway pavilion is where this meal takes place. It is a beautiful setting for a princess meal. I actually did a review of this place here. You will meet some princesses and have some good food. This is another great alternative to Cinderella's Royal Table if you don't get a reservation or don't want to spend the extra money/dining credit on it.

Cape May Cafe: This lovely little place is at a resort (Disney's Beach Club) and does not require a park ticket. The only meal that is character dining here is breakfast where you will meet Minnie and some of her friends in their beach gear. We ate here when the kids were little and loved it. The food is typical buffet foods but the character interaction was great. It doesn't seem as hectic as Chef Mickey's and interactions seem a little longer. This requires 1 dining credit.

The little one has a heart over her face because I didn't ask her mom if I could put her photo on the internet. 

Garden Grill: This awesome little place is my favorite place to meet characters. The food is wonderful, most of it grown right there in the same pavilion (The Land, Epcot). Characters to meet here are Mickey, Pluto, Chip, and Dale, all are in their best farmer gear. This restaurant rotates slowly while you dine, which makes for an awesome experience, it even overlooks the Living with the Land attraction right below it. It is located in the Land pavilion at Epcot. The food here is served family style and you can ask for extras if you find something you like. This requires 1 dining credit if you are on the dining plan.

There are some other character dining experiences that we have not tried including Hollywood & Vine at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Mickey's Backyard BBQ at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, 'Ohana breakfast at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and Tusker House Restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom. From reviews that I have heard from friends, they recommend these places as well.

As with most things, opinion means a lot. We might not like the same things but I can say that I have never had a bad meal at any of these places. Also, characters are not guaranteed so please do go into the meal expecting to meet someone because you might be disappointed if they are not there. Most definitely don't tell your child who will be there, you don't want a disappointed child, just let it be a surprise.

Check out my pictures of Eve throughout the years. I love that we have all of these memories of our vacations together. Poor Xander has always hated getting his picture taken so there aren't many of him with characters as he got older. 

If you want to meet some characters and have a fabulous meal, then contact me here. 

Have a magical day :)

What to wear on your Magical Vacation!!

Packing for vacation can be difficult sometimes. What do you take? How many shirts/shorts/pants, etc. Packing for a Disney vacation is in a whole other league of it's own. It's so crazy that people even help you make special packing lists just to go to Walt Disney World. I had a friend once say that she saw these lists and thought you just throw all your Mickey shirts in a bag and go but it can be a little more involved than that. I did a short article here about what to pack, but today we are going to discuss what to wear!

One of the things you need to be aware of is the weather. Is it going to be hot, usually in Florida the answer is yes but it can get chilly there. Is it going to rain? If it's hot make sure you take light, breathable clothes. Even if you love your denim shorts, they probably will be too hot in July. Old Navy makes some fantastic linen shorts that would be perfect for those hot, summer months. If it's rainy make sure you have extra clothes in your suitcase because you are probably going to get wet and you don't want to wear those wet clothes all day and all evening. I recommend a thin jacket or sweatshirt for early mornings or late evenings in the cooler months. It might be warm during the day but the mornings will get chilly (especially October to February). 

Shoes are also a consideration. Make sure they are comfy and broken in. You may love your cheap flip flops but they really don't belong at Walt Disney World. My friends walked holes in theirs because of all the walking. If you are a not a sneaker type person, make sure your sandals are heavy duty and have lots of cushion. I'm not saying  I don't take cheap flip flops because I do but I really only wear them part of a day at the parks or at the pool or to run to the food court for a drink, not from park opening to park closing. I do keep some in my backpack for rides like Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom or Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom, there's not much worse than wet socks and shoes, especially for tired feet. Here are a couple pairs of new sandals that I got for an upcoming trip:

I recently bought these from Amazon. They are super comfy and the strap keeps them on my feet. I highly recommend them!

I also just got these at Amazon. I'm hoping they will keep my feet cool and that the cushion helps with my tired feet. I have been breaking them in with evening walks before my trip. 

Now on to the right clothes to take. First and foremost, take all your Disney shirts!! You don't want to leave any of them at home. Make sure they are well made, comfy, and the right size for you. Tight clothes lead to trouble in hot, sweaty environments! You don't have to take Disney shirts, but where's the fun in that?  Here's a shot at all of my Disney shirts that I'm taking on my next trip:

Here's a breakdown. Top row shirts are all from the Disney Store. The first two were specialty shirts. The last one was not. The first shirt in the bottom row is from the company I work for (Polka Dot Bow Adventures) and the tank top on the bottom right is from Pretty Little Monograms.  You can never own too many Disney shirts!

As I have stated before here, I buy a new package of socks for everyone before we go. Not much feels better than new socks on tired feet. I usually get good, name brand socks at TJ Maxx.

As for entire outfit, I recommend lightweight pants/skirts/shorts/dresses, comfortable shirts, new socks, and comfy shoes. This is an outfit that I am taking on my next trip. Notice the lightweight pants and shirt with comfy shoes and socks. 

Yoga capris are from Old Navy. Shirt is from the Disney Store. Puma socks are from TJ Maxx, and Adidas shoes from Kohl's. Most of these things are over a year old but I'm sure those companies have something similar. 

In my opinion, things to avoid:
1.  Frilly/lacy dresses for little girls. I understand that $60 Cinderella dress is cute and cost you a lot but your little one is going to be hot and miserable all day. Heat + heavy/frilly dress + small child = hot, miserable child and parent!!
2.  Long denim shorts. When these get wet, they get heavy. When they get wet, they take FOREVER to dry. Even if you don't go on water rides, it will more than likely rain on you at least once during your vacation. If you want denim, wear them a little shorter. If you want long shorts, buy khaki or linen.
3.  Super tight/super short shorts. I'm sure it doesn't take a medical doctor to figure this out but tight/short shorts in warm dark places equals nasty bacteria. I don't think I need to spell that out!
4.  Cheap, thin flip flops. Your feet will be too tired to do anything in these. 
5.  Leather pants. Seriously.  I didn't think that I needed to mention something like this but on my last trip I saw 2 women wearing long leather pants in the 87 degree Florida heat. All I can think about is that episode of Friends where Ross buys leather pants, he sweats in them, and then can't get them back on. Don't be a Ross!!

Season 5, episode 11... WATCH IT!!

 By the way, don't forget those Minnie ears!!

As you can see from this picture, I had a sweatshirt on, it was a very chilly day in December!

What do you recommend people wear or avoid on a Disney vacation?

If you want to go on a Magical vacation, please email me here for a free quote. 

Have a Magical Day :)

Let's Talk Magic Bands

One of the best things during the planning of a Walt Disney World vacation is the receipt of Disney Mail, especially if that mail is your Magic Bands. Magic Bands are like a "free" souvenir from your vacation. There are lots of things you get to do with it on  your vacation. It's one of the newest pieces of technology that Disney uses. 

These bands use RF (Radio Frequency) technology. There is no information directly stored on the band. Disney works hard to make sure information stays private! It's also waterproof, go ahead and wear it in the pool or waterpark, the water won't ruin it. 

How do you get a Magic Band? Well, with your Walt Disney World package or room reservation, a Magic Band is included with your reservation. If you aren't staying on Walt Disney World property  you can buy a Magic Band at most shops on property and even on www.disneystore.com. 

Magic Bands come in many different colors, you can set this up on your My Disney Experience. You get to choose your color and what name will be printed on the inside. What's fun is that when you scan it somewhere the name you choose will be the name they see, so go with the fun nicknames if you want. You only get nine characters in your name, so make it a good one. The color choices are gray (standard), blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. Gray is the standard color and what you will receive if you do not go online and change it. Gray is also the color that is kept at the front desk of the resorts so if you have a problem with your band (or lose it),  you will get gray as a replacement.

I couldn't find a pic with the purple band in it. (Photo courtesy of: Disney Parks Blog)

You will receive your bands in a cool box with the Incredibles on it. Our box contained all 5 bands that we ordered, depending on how big your party is you may get 2 boxes. As you can see from my photo, the box has each band labeled with our names and they sent us the band color that we requested in My Disney Experience.

Those little cards peeking up behind the bands are luggage tags!

There is only one size band. The cool part is that the black outer part of the band comes off to make the band smaller. This smaller size is perfect for kids and even for women with smaller wrists. Be careful, though, once you take that outer part off you cannot put it back on. My suggestion is to try it on first to see how big it is before you start removing parts.

Band on the left is how it comes. Band on the right has had the outer part removed to make it smaller. 

Now on to all the cool uses for Magic Bands. My favorite use is as a room key. Each resort room has a Magic Band scanner on it so you can scan your band as your room key. No more juggling babies and strollers and bags and trying to find your room key because it's already on your wrist.

Another awesome use for the band is that it serves as your park ticket, if you have tickets linked to your account. This means that you can use this band to get into the parks. If you purchase a package from Walt Disney World the tickets are already linked. If you purchase tickets elsewhere, you will need to link them yourself. Since these serve as your park tickets they also serve as  your FastPass+ ticket. If you have any FP+ on your account all you need to do is scan your band at the right time and place and you are ready to go. 

Here is a photo of a family using their band for their FastPass+. (Photo courtesy of: Walt Disney World's website)

These bands are also used for your dining plan, if you purchased it. When you go to a restaurant (counter or table service) all you need to do is order your food and let them know that you are on the dining plan (if you have the dining plan). The cashier or waiter will then scan your Magic Band. You enter your predetermined PIN code and you are all set. How easy is that?

We like to use our bands for room charges, as well. This saves time getting my credit card, cash, or gift card out every time I want to purchase something. This works similar to the dining plan. All you do is scan your band, enter your PIN, and you are done. This one is an option and you can opt out of it if you want. All you need to do is tell the front desk when you are checking in and they will remove the charging option from your band. 

They are your pass to Disney's Magical Express. If you signed up for Disney's Magical Express in advance then make sure to pack your Magic Band in your carry-on bag because it is your pass to ride the motorcoach to your resort. 

It can also be used as a photo card for Disney PhotoPass. If you have one of Disney's photographer take your picture then he/she will scan  your band to load onto your MyDisney Experience account. This also includes some ride photos, as well.  

Disney's Magic Bands can be used for several years. Their batteries are said to last a few years so if you have ones from past vacations you can take them with you. So, make sure you save those bands, if not to reuse, at least save them as a souvenir. 

Just a few of our Magic Bands. 

Do you want to know the worst part about a Magic Band? It is not being able to use it when you come home. You tend to rely on it while you are on vacation and miss the convenience of it when you get home. 

How much do you love your Magic Band?

Do you miss using it when you come home?

If you want to have a Magical Vacation with a Disney's Magic Band please contact me here for a free quote. 

Have a Magical Day :)

Important Things to Pack for a WDW Vacation

I seem to have a lot of people ask me what they should pack for a Walt Disney World vacation. Everyone has opinions as to what is important and what's not.  After 25+ trips to the Mouse house, I've come up with some things that I can't live without while visiting.

Don't leave home without the following:

1.  Clothes. This one should be obvious. I recommend one outfit per day per person, plus extras. This may sound like a lot but you never know when you will run into a rainstorm in Florida, or get wet on Splash Mountain, or feel sweaty, or or or the list goes on and on. For a 6 night vacation I pack 7 or 8 shirts and shorts per person. Don't forget your cute Mickey shirts!

2.  Extra shoes. This one can be tricky. For myself, I always take 2 pairs of tennis shoes (gym shoes, sneakers) and 3 or 4 pairs of flip flops/sandals. I like to have a variety. For my non flipflop wearing boys, I like them to have 2 pairs of shoes (gym shoes, sneakers) so they can rotate on different days.

3. New socks. One of our favorite things to take with us is a brand new package of socks per person. Nothing feels quite as nice as a new pair of socks on tired feet.

We get good deals on socks at T J Maxx!

4.  Laundry detergent. We take Tide Pods. I always do a little bit of laundry while I am relaxing by the pool. The laundry is there so I might as well toss it in. I always, at least, wash our travel clothes. We are from Indiana and travel in the fall so we wear long pants on the plane. It's nice to have clean ones for the flight home without having to pack extras. To go along with this the laundry areas at Walt Disney World no longer take coins, they are credit/debit card only. With the new electronic system you can even watch your washer and dryer online here to know when it's done.

5.  Cash. One thing many people don't think about is cash. You don't need it very many places but you want to make sure you have it if you need it. Some outside vendors (balloons and toy carts) don't take cards or Magic Bands, only cash. There are ATM's available all over WDW but I'm sure the ATM fees are outrageous, usually for both the ATM and your bank. Another thing that you will need cash for is tips for Mousekeeping, bell services, baggage handlers, etc. We take a little, $200-300 and rely on our card for the rest.

6.  Glow Sticks. If you have small children, take your own glow sticks. I've even dedicated an entire blog post to just glow sticks here.

7.  Ponchos/umbrella. It rains in Florida, sometimes once a day. You can fork over the $10 per person for a Mickey poncho but why when you can get a 2 pack at your local dollar store for $1. Because it will rain in Florida. You could buy several packs for that price. Did I mention that it rains, in Florida? I even see people wearing ponchos on Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids.

8.  Toiletries/medicines. Please don't forget your medicines. They should be packed in your carry-on. You can always have your doctor call in what you need but it might be a pain to get to the pharmacy to get what you forgot. As for toiletries, I always make sure we have everything we need from shampoo to soap to razors. I don't want to have to pay the super high prices in the Disney gift shops to get what I didn't have. I've forgotten my facial moisturizer before and struggled to find something to replace it on property. Also, don't forget to pack the cute little first aid kit that we made here.

9.  Extra bag. You see that matching small bag there on top of my suitcase? I don't carry it on the plane, I flatten it on the bottom of my suitcase so I have an empty bag to bring home souvenirs. We also like to hit up the outlet malls and this helps me have extra room for anything I purchase.

10.  Anti-bacterial hand gel. Bathrooms are dirty, even at Walt Disney World. I always have anti-bacterial hand gel with me. I even got this cute one last year at Disney. They are expensive there but have lots of cute choices.

11.  Park bag. I usually carry a park bag. My kids usually carry a park bag. My husband usually carries a park bag. They are helpful to hold your maps, phones, gum/candy/snacks, cameras, first aid kit, and drink bottle. Last year was the first time in forever that I went one day without a bag, it was quite freeing but I got there and realized that my pants had no pockets so I had to carry my phone and I had no place to put my sunglasses on the rides. My husband helped me out by putting my stuff in his pockets. I think I will go without a bag one day this time but probably only once.

My favorite park bag from Thirty-One.

12.  Electronics. We all enjoy our phones, and you might need them for MyDisneyExperience. Some small children are entertained by iPad's in long lines. It's nice for teenagers to have a little distraction from "family time" as well. 

If you want to book a magical vacation, please email me here.

What's something you can't live without while at Walt Disney World?

Have a Magical Day :)

Disney meme's

I've been collecting some Disney' memes over the last few weeks. There are tons out there but these are some of my favorites. 

Most of these do not have the creator listed on it. I apologize if these were created by you. If you need credit for one of them please email me.

Now, on to the fun:

This one's my own. RIP Sorcerers Hat. You will not be missed.

This is a beautiful angle of the castle. I might have to get a shot like this next time I'm there.

I've had so many people tell me this. It's so frustrating!! It's not for kids. There is so much to do for adults. That statement is right up there with "Epcot is boring."

All. The. Time!!!!

I've had someone ask me if I was going to marry Mickey Mouse! Seriously?

I try to meet him every time I'm there. This year I think I will track down talking Mickey!

Please, NO FLASH on all dark rides! Your pics won't turn out no matter what you do.

Do you have any funny Disney meme's you want to share? Please do so in the comments. I would love to see them. 

Do you want to have a magical vacation and meet Mickey? If so, please email me here.

Have a Magical Day :)

Disney First Aid Kit.

Today we are going to do a little DIY project that doesn't require much DIY. I HATE trying to track down the First Aide centers at Walt Disney World. They are very nice and clean with pleasant staff. I've had to get bandaids from them before and it was an excellent experience. My problem is that you always seem to need them when you are on the other side of the park. I don't want to walk across the park and miss out on attractions. So, I make these cute little First Aid kits. 

I have tons of these mint (Altoid size) tins that I buy when I go to WDW. Last time we went I bought 2 of them and I told my kids that when I run out that it's time to go back. Well, I ran out in May and our trip isn't until October but my friend went in June and I had her bring me one back! So, I go thru 2-3 of these per year and that leaves lots of empty tins waiting for a good project.

These mints are fantastic, you must try them!

I used to carry a tiny make-up bag with a first aid kit in it in my backpack to the Disney parks. Those took up a lot of room. After looking at these mint tins, I thought why not combine the 2? So I did!!

Here are the supplies you will need:

Mint tin (Altoid size)

 Bandaids

pain reliever (Advil, Tylenol, etc.)

1/2 oz tube antibiotic cream (Neosporin)

First I cleaned out the tin, which is a no-brainer!

Then I added the bandaids. They are flat and things will easily sit on top of them. On a side note, we always take Mickey, Star Wars, or Muppet bandaids to Disney, might as well stay in character.

I sprinkle in some Target brand Ibuprofen liquid gels (and children's if you have little kids). A picture here would be great but my camera was being stupid.

Last I add the Target brand antibiotic cream. As you can see from the picture I had to bend the end of the cream up a bit but it fits nicely.

I'm sure you can decorate the tin on the front but I wanted to leave it with the characters that were on it. This first aid kit is so small you could probably keep it in your purse or diaper bag year-round. It would probably fit in the cargo pocket of dad's shorts for park days. 

What do you think?

If you want to plan a Magical Vacation please email me here. 

Have a Magical Day :)

Flat Sheri Friday!

Wow, it's been a long time! I guess we all took a summer break.

Let's welcome back the Mendy Mouse blog with a Flat Sheri Friday.

Silly Sheri loves to travel. You can see the start of her adventures here.

This week finds Flat Sheri at Epcot. She loved vising all of the countries. Her favorites were Mexico and France.

Flat Sheri in Mexico!

She loved France. Do you see the Eiffel Tower?

She even made a mess of some paints in France, Silly Sheri!

I'm still looking for volunteers to be my next "Flat Sheri," if you are interested please let me know.

If you want to have your own family adventure contact me here for a free quote.

Have a Magical Day :)

Flat Sheri Friday!!

So, silly Sheri visited "that other place" (Universal Studios) while in Florida. She said she always wanted to try a Butterbeer, so that was one of her first stops. After that she, of course, had to have a picture with Hogwarts!!

That Butterbeer was tasty!

Doesn't she look so happy to be there?

If you want background on Flat Sheri's adventures check here. 

Do you need a quote for your magical vacation, even to that other place? If yes, then email me here. 

Have a Magical day :)