The Plaza Restaurant at Disney: A Charming experience

 

The Plaza restaurant, on the corner of Main Street USA, was the last of the table service restaurants we needed to try in order to knock them all off our list!  You can see our complete list of blog posts HERE.

Smellephants on Parade at Magic Kingdom

 

We are always looking for something new to do in the parks, and you know we love a good Scavenger hunt!

Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs

                                                      Summer House picture from Disney.

As we were heading to Disney Springs for the Drone Show, we decided we would try to get in to Summer House by the Lake for dinner. We did not have a reservation, but since it is only the two of us we usually don't have a problem getting into restaurants.

Our Guide to Disney's Old Key West Resort

 

As soon as you enter Disney's Old Key West resort, you immediately get those Florida vibes and expect to hear Jimmy buffet music playing. In fact, there just may have been some tropical music playing as we arrived. 

Goods Food to Go at Disney's Old Key West Resort

 

We recently stayed at Disney's Old Key West resort and our first order of business was getting food from their quick service location, Goods Food to Go..

Olivia's Cafe at Disney's Old Key West Resort

 

Anytime you hear a Disney fan mention Old Key West resort, it is usually followed up by a comment about Olivia's Cafe, and how good it is.  We ate dinner here a few years ago with our parents. I don't remember what I ordered and it certainly did not make that much of an impression on me, but I was willing to give it another try.

Teppan Edo Japanese Restaurant in Epcot

 We are always ready to try different dining experiences at Disney and  I finally got to experience the Teppan Edo restaurant. This is a Hibachi style restaurant located on the upper level of the Japan pavilion in Epcot, and it is definitely an experience. 

Take a look inside Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disney World

I will admit, I was not pleased when I heard that Splash Mountain was no longer going to be an attraction at Magic Kingdom. It's a Disney Classic, after all! However, I can honestly say that Disney Imagineers re-imagined Splash Mountain to Tiana's Bayou Adventure just perfectly!  Let's take a look!

Dreams that Soar Drone show at Disney Springs

 

This summer Disney is hosting a drone show at Disney Springs. There are two shows each night, one at 9:00 pm and one at 10:45 pm. We recently attended the 9:00pm . Here are the details!

"Ohana for Dinner or Breakfast? A complete review.

 Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Village resort has always seemed to be a a favorite of Disney guests, but reservations are often times hard to get. 

 Turns out we got one just on a whim. I think I looked at the app mid morning and there was a reservation for two for that same evening.  Perfect!  We actually ate a real light lunch that day because we knew we would be getting a lot of food at Ohana.

Dinning at Crystal Palace right before Magic Kingdom Fireworks

 Oh Crystal Palace, you are probably one of the best looking restaurants in the World ( Disney World that is).  You're pretty on the inside too, which is always most important!

Crystal Palace is that beautiful building just off the left side of Main Street in Magic Kingdom.  It's behind Casey's Corner. 

Liberty Tree Tavern: What a wonderful meal!

 

We attempted to eat at Liberty Tree Tavern several times on various visits to Magic Kingdom but when it came down to it, we always ended up canceling our reservation ( we were on the walk up list anyway). We cancelled because I just couldn't fathom eating such a heavy meal in such excruciating  heat.

What I ate at Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival

 The last post I made about Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival focused on the beautifully artistic topiaries. This post however is focused on all the fabulous food!

Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot: Photo dump

 

Hello! In a little over a month, the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is going to come to an end, so I thought I better get these blog posts out before its too late. I attended the Flower and Garden Festival several times this season. Each visit, I focused on seeing/doing something different.    

Dont miss these overlooked trails at Disney's Animal Kingdom

In honor of Earth day this week, we thought we would bring you a post from Animal Kingdom.

Today we are sharing two of our favorite animal trails at Animal Kingdom.  So many guests focus on the bigger attractions and rides at this park that the walking trails often get overlooked, but don't miss these.

Tutto Gusto Wine Celler at Disney World

 

Tucked away in the back of the Italy Pavilion in Epcot is a Wine Cellar called Tutto Gusto.

Many people don't even know this is here, and those that do spot it might think it is just a secondary door to Tutto Italia, Italy's main table service restaurant.   

Easter Decor Tour at Disney Resorts

     This weekend I got to tour many of the Disney resorts to check out their Easter decorations.

A Surprise at ABC Commissary at Disney's Hollywood Studios

 Today we are at park that we rarely visit. We'll, I should say that we don't visit this park as much as the others, but today we had a nice surprise.

We had come to the park early on this day and were headed out around noon but thought we ought to grab something for lunch before we left. 

The rainy day Disney tip you might not know

I'm sure you've read every blog post about how to prepare for a rainy day at Disney. This post is not going to tell you to always pack your umbrella or to make sure you bring a poncho from home so you don't have to pay for an overpriced one at the gift shop, nope!

Creating Dog Tags at Disney

On my last visit to Disney's Wilderness Lodge, I noticed they had this cool ID kiosk, in which you could make dog tags.  So of course I had to make one for my Labrador Sybie!  This kiosk is located in the Wilderness Lodge lobby, around the corner from the Wilderness Lode Mercantile, the resort's gift shop.

California Grill is redeemed!

 

For many years, California Grill has ranked as the WORST Disney restaurant I have ever been to. That may be why it has taken me over a decade to return. You can read that story HERE.

Why California Grill was the worst dining experience I've had at Disney

 My sister and I recently had a good meal at Disney's California Grill, ( you can read about that HERE) but up until that time, I would tell you that California Grill was the worst dining experience I've ever had at Disney. 

 I'll explain. 

Is Moana, Journey of Water, underwhelming?

When we first heard there was going to be a Moana attraction at Epcot, we of course were excited. We knew there was going to be some water involved.  Then we heard it was going to be a walk through attraction and potentially a splash area.  We were hoping for a ride, but were eager to see what Disney would come up with. 

Characters you might draw at the Animation Experience at Disney's Animal Kingdom

 

One of our favorite things to do at Disney's Animal Kingdom is take the train to Rafiki's Planet Watch and participate in the Animation Experience.

Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen at Disney's Magic Kingdom

 

Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen, is located in Adventureland in Magic Kingdom and is themed after the Jungle Cruise attraction. The food here is inspired from Asian, African, and South American cuisine. This is one of those restaurants that was said to have some unique offerings sure to take you out of your comfort zone of typical theme park food.

A Unique Dining Experience at Space 220 at Disney World

Space 220 is located in the front of Epcot near Mission Space. This was another restaurant I have been wanting to try.

My Day at Epcot's Festival of the Arts

 

This past weekend I was able to make it to Epcot for the 2024 Festival of the Arts. I was only there for the day, but I packed a lot in. Let's check it out!

Cape May Cafe at Disney's Beach Club Resort

We have a lot of fond memories from Cape May Cafe. We've eaten here several times as our celebratory brunch or dinner after a run Disney race!

Disney Food Feature: LeFou's Brew at Gaston's Tavern

Tucked  away in the New Fantasyland part of Magic Kingdom is a snack shop called Gaston's Tavern.  As you would guess, this is part of the Beauty and the Beast village.  

Happy New Year and Holiday Wrap-Up

 

The holidays may be over, but  I feel compelled to do a little holiday recap. It's been so nice to look back at our blog over the years and read about what was going on at that time in our life. I've realized the past few years, I have not done that.