Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures | Tales from my (mostly Disney) travels! | Page 2

- Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic at Epcot
  
  Posted at 9:55 am by taryngirl, on February 5, 2019
  
  8/15/18
  
  Being a Disney Vacation Club Member does have some perks! There are some special events held throughout the year for us. We were lucky that one was happening while we were there! I also was luckily able to get tickets…these events sell out quickly! It’s a free event, but they limit the number of people.
  
  The event time was 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., however attendees could start entering at 6 p.m. Upon arrival, we were given our food vouchers (a quick service meal was included), a wristband and a map/schedule of events through a special check in line.
  
  Each person was given a voucher for a quick service meal available at one of the locations listed above.
  
  We headed straight for Sunshine Seasons!
  
  Mongolian Beef–Mongolian Beef and Vegetables served with Rice (You can pick from fried or white rice). $13.49
  
  This was my meal. I never really get to eat lunch here. Usually only breakfast because I am waiting while people are riding Soarin’. This was good! The dessert was the Key Lime Tart, and one of my favorites! I did pay out of pocket for the dessert here.
  
  (I have no idea which this is!)
  
  This was a special for the evening I believe, as I can’t find it on the regular menu!
  
  Slow Roasted Pork Loin–Slow Roasted with Mashed Potatoes, Barbecue Sauce (she got it without) and Corn on the Cob $13.99
  
  I think this was just okay. A little bit dry if I recall.
  
  When we were finished eating, we headed towards Spaceship Earth. (We had FP+ for this evening! We were able to make them for regular park hours before the official party started.)
  
  After our Spaceship Earth FP+, we headed to our Test Track FP+.
  
  It was really hot and muggy this evening. Another perk for the party was unlimited fountain beverages. We stopped in Electric Umbrella for some drinks and for Kinsey’s meal of Chicken Nuggets.
  
  Mousegears is one of my favorite stores! So of course I had to check it out and see what seasonal merchandise they had.
  
  They have really stepped up their game! It used to just be a few t-shirts. If you happen to come unprepared for the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, don’t worry! They have plenty you can choose from!
  
  From here, my cousin and her family wanted to meet Sebastian. He had one of the longest lines! Kinsey and I rode Nemo while they waited. There was a steel drum band for entertainment while waiting in the line!
  
  We went from there to the dance party that was happening with a live DJ. Kinsey couldn’t get enough!
  
  It was soon time for the fireworks, so we walked to the edge of the World Showcase.
  
  After that, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to the resort.
  
  Overall, it was a really fun time! There were other rare characters to meet but that wasn’t our focus. We just wanted to have a good time and hit a few rides. Oh, and have a Mickey Bar! I would definitely do this again if we happened to be there during these special events.
  
  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Epcot, Quick Service, Sunshine Seasons, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Disney, Disney Vacation Club, Epcot, Moonlight Magic, Quick Service, Sunshine Seasons
- Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Three Broomsticks Lunch
  
  Posted at 8:08 pm by taryngirl, on February 4, 2019
  
  We continued on to Hogsmeade and headed straight for Three Broomsticks!
  
  We got there at a really good time. There actually is a queue outside so the cash register areas do not get too jammed, and so the doors are not blocked for those who are exiting. We luckily avoided this and walked right inside.
  Here’s a picture of the breakfast menu that they serve.
  And the lunch menu:
  We already knew we were all going to get The Great Feast! When getting the feast, you cannot use a quick service credit per person.
  Once you are in the line inside, the first person you get to will tell you what register number to go to. You place your order at the register and they normally hand you your food right there. We were such a big group with 3 orders of the feast, so they just gave us our drinks and brought our food to the table. We were given a number to put on our table.
  There is another person who seats you. I think this is to avoid people saving seats.
  The chicken was moist, and the ribs were good! I loved the potatoes and the vegetables. I could do without the corn on the cob.
  I really enjoyed this meal! I thought it was really good. When looking at the price, it almost seems cheaper to order just a single serving per person. But it was fun to get it in a feast!
  I would definitely return here!
  
  Posted in Dining Review, Islands of Adventure, Quick Service, Uncategorized, Wizarding World of Harry Potter | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Islands of Adventure, Quick Service, Three Broomsticks, Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Islands of Adventure -Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park
  
  Posted at 9:14 am by taryngirl, on January 28, 2019
  
  January 7, 2019
  
  We met up with all of the other agents just inside the gates at Islands of Adventure.
  
  From here we made our way over towards The Incredible Hulk Coaster. The Port of Entry area has some nice shops and great photo opportunities. Puss in Boots was meeting along this stretch with no one in line!
  
  While some of the group went on Hulk, others went on The Amazing Adventures of Spider-man. Just a note. I get motion sick. Especially with the simulator rides. I can’t do the rides where the screen is moving and we are falling, etc. But I was ok on most of this ride! The only time I had to close my eyes was the scene where we were falling.
  
  This was such a cool ride! We used our express pass and were on in no time at all. I took some time to go into the shops along this street. This one had some really cool merchandise!
  
  My daughter loves Groot! I was happy to see these here!
  
  The quick service location in this land. They weren’t open yet, as it was before lunch time, so I ran in to take a quick photo!
  
  The actual comic book shop:
  
  I made my way back towards Doctor Doom’s Fearfall to meet up with everyone.
  
  They did have a test seat outside of the ride that you could try before entering.
  
  From here we headed over to Toon Lagoon. This area was practically empty! We took some time to go into the shops.
  
  Unfortunately I didn’t go on this ride. I really didn’t want to walk around wet all day! You do get SOAKED on this!
  
  This whole area was so much fun!
  
  Our next stop was Skull Island: Reign of Kong. We used our express pass to ride the actual Kong ride. This was a pretty cool ride! King Kong at the end was pretty amazing.
  
  We were starting to get hungry now, and we really wanted to eat at Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We walked through Jurassic Park (the main ride was closed for refurbishment) on our way.
  
  Up next…Hogsmeade!
  
  Posted in Islands of Adventure, Uncategorized, Universal Orlando, Vacation | 0 Comments | Tagged Islands of Adventure, Jurassic Park, Marvel, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Universal, Universal Orlando
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  
  Posted at 2:11 pm by taryngirl, on January 27, 2019
  
  August 15, 2018
  
  We arrived without incident about 4 p.m. using Lyft. I had gotten the text around 11:30 a.m. that our room was ready! So we headed immediately up the elevator to our room. Scan my Magic Band…anddddd, the room was not clean. The sofa bed was unmade, there were dirty towels on the floor in the bathroom, etc. So we headed back down to the front desk. I let them know the situation, and it was almost as if the girl didn’t believe me! She offered us a FastPass. Sure, why not! It had to be for the next day though, which was our Magic Kingdom day. She asked my daughter what she would like to ride, and Kinsey couldn’t decide between Splash Mountain or Space Mountain, so she gave us both! We were so tired and hot and I just wanted to lay down. But we had to sit. And wait. And wait. For them to go clean it. We sat outside for awhile in the back courtyard area:
  
  We were so hot, so we went back into the lobby to wait. My phone rang and it was the front desk. I told them I was sitting right there and could see them! She came over again and apologized for the room not being ready and that they were crediting my account $125 for the trouble. About 15 minutes later, she came back again and said, “It’s ready!” She personally went up with us to our room. Guess what…THEY WERE STILL CLEANING. She was mortified! I told her it was fine and we were just going to sit in the hall until it was ready. It was after 5 p.m. now!
  
  The two housekeepers finally exited. We FINALLY got into the room around 5:30 p.m. At least we knew it was really clean!
  
  We were staying in a Deluxe Studio, Standard View. Here’s our room tour:
  
  You can’t beat the location of this resort! It’s a quick walk to the entrance of Magic Kingdom. The security/bag check is on the walkway from here to the Magic Kingdom. So you can avoid the longer lines at the monorail if you choose to walk. It’s also faster than taking the monorail! Contempt Cafe is one of my favorite resort quick service locations. And the view of the fireworks from this resort is amazing.
  
  Now…we were laying down resting before the DVC Moonlight Magic Event at Epcot, and the phone rings. I answer it and someone asked if we would be in the room because Private Dining had a delivery for us. I told them I didn’t order anything, and they said they knew that. 5 seconds later there was a knock on the door. He brought a tray in with 6 gigantic Mickey shaped chocolate chip cookies and a 12 inch tall (at least) white chocolate Tinker Bell along with a note. I completely forgot to get a picture because I was stunned! They went above and beyond any expectation I had as far as making things right. I NEVER got nasty or complained and begged for things. The Disney magic was just offered!
  
  This is our home DVC resort and I absolutely would book here again!
  
  Posted in Bay Lake Tower, Contemporary Resort, Deluxe Studio, Disney, Room Review, Uncategorized, Vacation, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Bay Lake Tower, Contemporary Resort, Disney, Resort, Room Review, Walt Disney World
- Universal Orlando Morning Touring Diagon Alley
  
  Posted at 11:08 am by taryngirl, on January 26, 2019
  
  1/7/19–Park Day!
  
  Our plan was to hit up the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on the Universal side since we could enter 1 hour early. We were up and had breakfast in the lounge and were on our way around 8:15 a.m…a little later than I wanted!
  
  (Check out my new Convertible Belt Bag by Thirty-One Gifts! I am a Senior Director with Thirty-One Gifts, and it came in just before my trip. I was super excited to try it! It is the PERFECT SIZE for me for park touring!)
  
  It was a quick walk to the front gate. But first, we had to stop and get this pic!
  
  There were no real lines at all to get in. I made it through and then looked for Chrissy. Her ticket didn’t work! She had to go to Guest Services to get it fixed. After a little bit we were on our way to Diagon Alley! They were checking room keys to make sure we were staying onsite to qualify for the hour early entrance.
  
  I took some pictures along the way of the empty streets!
  
  Christmas decorations were still up!
  
  I absolutely loved all of these NYC themed streets!
  
  If you have never been to Diagon Alley, you might not know how to “enter.” It’s right here in this unmarked area! It almost looks like you are walking into a big bathroom.
  
  Inside Diagon Alley:
  
  This is looking back towards the entrance we just walked through.
  
  At this point we got a call to meet the rest of the crew for a group picture…in Islands of Adventure by the entrance. Also at this time, it was 9:00 a.m. and the regular crowd of people were pouring into the train station to ride Hogwarts Express over to Islands of Adventure. So we opted to walk out of Universal and across the front of Hard Rock Cafe and Toothsome Chocolate Emporium.
  
  It was a gorgeous morning!
  
  Preliminary thoughts…If you love Harry Potter and part of the reason you are here is to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it is an absolute must that you arrive at 8 a.m. and beat the crowds! Almost everyone makes a bee line to this area. You get the early admission if you are staying at a participating resort or even if you buy tickets only through me…your friendly travel agent! Contact me for more information and too see which resorts participate. 8-9 a.m. is also a great time to get pictures along the way of the empty streets. I think the best plan is to get into Diagon Alley first then come out around 8:45-8:50 a.m. and get in line for the Hogwarts Express. That will get you over to Hogsmeade first thing to either ride Forbidden Journey or explore a mostly empty street.
  
  To Be Continued…
  
  Posted in Diagon Alley, Uncategorized, Universal Orlando | 0 Comments | Tagged Diagon Alley, Harry Potter, Universal, Universal Orlando, Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando
  
  Posted at 10:54 am by taryngirl, on January 21, 2019
  January 6-8, 2019
  
  I had the opportunity to attend a training at Universal Orlando with several other agents from my agency and jumped on it! I consider myself somewhat of a Disney expert, but definitely needed to learn more about Universal Orlando and all they can offer to my clients.
  
  I met up with some other agents at the Philadelphia Airport.
  
  We had a quick uneventful flight on Southwest and actually arrived about a half hour early. Once we claimed our baggage, we headed outside and ordered Lyft XL since there were three of us with luggage. After two failed attempts (I think the person who accepted first twice was actually sleeping or something?? His car never moved…) we got a new driver. He safely got us to our destination! As a side note…I would say 95% of people who walked out of the Baggage Claim doors were calling Uber or Lyft. All ages! Couples, families, business people, etc. If you would like a link for $20 in Lyft credit, here is a code for you: https://www.lyft.com/invite/TARYNSTOTS
  
  We finally made it to…
  
  We were lucky enough to score a Club King Suite with a connecting Club 2 Queen and Club King Room! The maximum occupancy for this is 13 with a rollaway. It was essentially a 3 Room Suite! Here are the floor plans of two of the rooms:
  
  This is the Club King Suite with Connecting Club 2 Queen Room. The Club King Room connected on the other side of the Club King Suite. We had SO MUCH SPACE!
  
  All Club Rooms are located on the 7th Floor.
  
  Club 2 Queen Room: Two queen beds that can accommodate 4 guests, full size bathroom, view overlooking the pool
  
  King Suite: Two flat screen TVs, a sleeper sofa that can accommodate 2 guests, an armchair and a dining table that can seat six guests, a full bathroom featuring a stand up shower. A generous sized guest room that features a king bed that can accommodate 2 guests and has extra living space.
  
  Club King Room: King bed that can accommodate 2 guests, a full size bathroom.
  
  Views from our room!
  
  The view from our room at sunset!
  
  The total square footage for this 3-bedroom suite is 1400. We had plenty of room for 13 of us with rollaways.
  
  My impression of the room(s): I LOVED THEM! I actually loved the vibe at this entire hotel. I loved the decor, our view, and it was super clean. The staff from the bellman to the maid were all very friendly and professional. I slept in the King Suite part. There was so much room that we could separate if we needed to. We loved having 3 full bathrooms for 13 women. And we loved having the table to sit at and eat snacks and do some work. I would definitely stay here again with my family.
  
  Rock Royalty:
  
  Because we were on Club Level, we had access to the Rock Royalty Lounge for complimentary continental breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, and desserts. We arrived and got settled right around 5:00 p.m. ish. So we headed directly to the lounge for “dinner!” To enter, you had to swipe your key.
  
  This water/soda cooler was accessible from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily.
  
  As was this coffee/tea/hot chocolate station.
  
  Alcoholic beverages were available with the 5-7 p.m. evening hors d’oeuvres. For this you had to show your room key which had a sticker on the back, and it was served by attendants…not a free for all. You could get one drink at a time, but there was not limit to how many times you could go back up.
  
  All of this was actually very good! And the chicken wings…were amazing! This filled us up so we didn’t have to go anywhere else for dinner.
  
  The attendant saw me taking pictures and asked if I wanted to see the menu for the week! Of course I did!
  
  After dinner, I went down to the lobby to take some pictures.
  
  The check in desks.
  
  Fun little themed details!
  
  So here’s something cool for music lovers! They have a Sound of Your Stay program. You can put down $1000 security deposit and order one of these guitars with headphones to play in your room! There is a waiver to complete.
  
  There were a bunch of artifacts around the entire lobby area.
  
  I also stepped outside and caught some amazing views at night!
  
  Here were the breakfast offerings in the Rock Royalty Lounge on January 7th. It was a really good variety!
  
  A few other random shots from around the grounds during the day:
  
  Random Thoughts:
  - This is one of Univeral’s Premier hotels…which means guests staying here get FREE Universal Express Unlimited Pass to skip the regular lines at most attractions. Super important, especially dependent on the time of year you plan on going. If you are not staying at a Premier hotel, you can purchase the Unlimited Express Pass starting at $90 per day per person. This price does fluctuate by park and date. Consider this cost when choosing your hotel stay!
  - Hard Rock Hotel is about a 5 minute walk to the front gates of Universal Orlando. Very convenient! You don’t have to worry about bus or boat transportation.
  - The pool here is AMAZING! I didn’t get to partake in it, but I did walk through and it was huge! Tons of seating.
  Here’s a direct link to the Universal Orlando website to check out the Hard Rock Hotel!
  Posted in Club Level, Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Room Review, Uncategorized, Universal Orlando | 0 Comments | Tagged Club Level, Hard Rock Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Rock Royalty, Universal, Universal Orlando
- Storybook Dining at Artist Point with Snow White
  
  Posted at 1:20 pm by taryngirl, on January 20, 2019
  
  I was lucky enough to enjoy the latest character meal being offered in Walt Disney World! Storybook Dining with Snow White! I was in Orlando for a travel agent training, so I joined several other agents at Artist Point in the Wilderness Lodge on January 10, 2019.
  
  We took Lyft from Animal Kingdom Lodge where we were staying. We got Lyft XL as there were 6 of us, and the cost was about $3 per person once we split it up with tip. There is no direct bus from resort to resort. So we would have had to bus to Magic Kingdom, then get on a boat or another bus to Wilderness Lodge. It was just easier to do Lyft and we were there in a jiffy!
  
  Wilderness Lodge is GORGEOUS! The lobby is stunning. I personally have never stayed here but I would love to! I felt like I was in a cabin in the mountains somewhere. Here are a couple of shots of the lobby.
  
  Check in for Artist Point is through the lobby and to the left. At the check-in desk, the hostess was sure to tell us to enjoy our “60 minute dining experience.” She sent us up the ramp where another hostess sat us at our table immediately. She also said, “Enjoy your 60 minute dining experience.”
  
  Artist Point has been magically transformed into an enchanted forest for this special character dining experience. It used to house a different restaurant, and the switch excited half the people, and upset the other half. Now, you can dine with Snow White, Dopey, and Grumpy, who come to visit you at your table, and the Evil Queen who is stationed in the center of the dining room and you go to her to get your picture taken. Kind of like the Beast at Be Our Guest for dinner.
  
  Also noting, we were staying 1 night at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and we all had the Disney Dining Plan for this 1 night stay. This dinner is $55 plus tax for an adult. The Dining Plan costs $75.49 per adult. Dinner also comes with a drink, which can be an alcoholic drink, and we all know those cost more than a soda! So besides this meal, we still had 1 Quick Service Meal (also comes with an alcoholic drink if you wish), 2 Snacks, and the Refillable Mug. We more than made out by using the Dining Plan this night.. You can read more about the different Dining Plans HERE.
  
  We were seated and greeted by our waiter. He welcomed us to our “60 minute dining experience.” (What the heck! They really want you in and out!). He took our drink orders and explained the menu. We all opted for an alcoholic drink, as this came with the Dining Plan. This dinner is a little bit different, as everyone receives the appetizers and desserts automatically. You don’t get a choice. You DO get to choose your main course though.
  
  Almost immediately, Snow White stopped by our table. One of our agents was FaceTiming her daughter so she could see the restaurant, and just then Snow White stopped by! She had a really cool interaction with her…asking her if she was in a magic mirror!
  
  We wanted a group picture with her, which was impossible at our table. So we had to move to out to the hostess stand.
  
  She was really great and stayed in character the entire time!
  
  The Menu:
  
  This is the “allergy” menu they provided us when asked.
  
  I opted for the “A Brew of Peaches.” It sounded like it was going to be sweet and fruity! Peach, raspberry, sugar and bourbon. How bad could it be?
  
  Well…it was SO STRONG! All I could taste was bourbon. I actually thought it wasn’t my drink and he made a mistake. We passed it all around the table! But alas, this was the drink I ordered. I ended up giving it to my friend and just had water. Notice the drippings down the side of the glass. I think that was the sugar! I think everyone else enjoyed their drinks. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures.
  
  These were our place settings.
  
  The characters here do not sign autographs. Instead you receive this apple with signatures attached to your napkin.
  
  While we were waiting for appetizers, Grumpy found us.
  
  His character was great! He “happily” took a picture with each of us.
  
  Our appetizers arrived. They are placed on this spinning “tree” that is attached to the center of the table. Our party of six had two tables pushed together. So three were on this table and three on the other, except they had all 6 shrimp in this one jar.
  
  These are shared and are one per person.
  
  Up first is the Winter Squash Bisque. Caramel Loli, Granola. The white thing on the stick is actually marshmallow that is meant to be stirred into the soup.
  
  This was my favorite of the three items given to us. It was smooth and creamy and tasted really good. It was maybe 4-5 spoonfuls.
  
  Next, is the Hunter’s Pie. Chicken, black truffle, stone fruit preserve.
  
  These were just okay. The center of the pastry part…the chicken was actually hard. Like a solid disc. I dipped it into the preserves which tasted ok. I personally didn’t love this! Maybe 1.5 inch in diameter.
  
  Last was the Wicked Shrimp Cocktail. Soy, Miso, Avocado, Thai Chili, Greens.
  
  I don’t eat shrimp so didn’t taste this. I’m not allergic, I just don’t like it. Two others in our group also don’t eat it. So at the start of our ordering, one person mentioned it. He brought here this next picture…a Tomato Salad.
  
  She also doesn’t eat tomatoes! So she gave it to me. This was delicious! Fresh and really good flavor.
  
  Overall, my opinion on the appetizers…not my favorite! Really small portions and I would prefer to choose what I would like to eat and not have a preset menu.
  
  While waiting for our main course, Dopey found us.
  
  He was super cute and playful compared to Grumpy!
  
  Our main courses had finally arrived!
  
  I ordered the Brother’s Grimm Roasted Chicken. Confit Potatoes, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Apples and Chestnut Butter (Two views below!)
  
  This was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The chicken (yes there is a bone) was so moist and flavorful with the sauce. The Brussel sprouts were cooked perfectly and tasted great with the sauce and potatoes. I would definitely order this again if I ever went back!
  
  My friend ordered the Magic Mirror Slow-Braised Veal Shank.
  
  Three others ordered the Royal Prime Rib Roast. Horseradish Mashed Potato, Hay-Smoked Carrots, Popover, Jus
  
  Some ordered with regular mashed potatoes. This had mixed reviews! One person commented that they wished they kept the horseradish mashed potatoes instead of regular.
  
  The below picture is the Brother’s Grimm Chicken with Broccolini substituted for Brussel Sprouts.
  
  Every now and then, music came over for all to hear, and the characters danced around the dining room.
  
  While we were waiting for our dessert, someone came to our table to tell us the Evil Queen would be leaving soon, so we might want to go see her now.
  
  She was REALLLLLLLY good! She was not friendly, and not nice. Haha!
  
  Our dessert was brought soon after we got back to our table. These were also shared and were 1 per person.
  
  Fairy Tale Gooseberry Pie–Meringue, Gooseberry
  
  This tasted kind of like apple pie! It was tasty, and small. Maybe 3 spoonfuls??
  
  “Poison” Apple–White Chocolate-Apple Mouse, Sour Center
  
  This was super cute and tasted just ok. Gone in two bites!
  
  Miner’s Treasures–Sponge Cake, Chocolate Gems, and Buttercream Icing
  
  This was my favorite of the three! I loved the addition of the chocolate gems, and the buttercream frosting was really good!
  
  Just when we thought we were finished (we were way past 60 minutes here by the way!), our waiter showed up with this:
  
  He explained that this was The Hunter’s Gift to the Queen. Cracked Maple Popcorn, Ganache Heart.
  
  To me it was a little strange! He scooped it out of the box with a spoon and put it on the plate.
  
  Overall Impression:
  
  This is a great deal if you have the Disney Dining Plan. The character interactions were great. I loved my main course. The decor in the restaurant was neat. There is a photo pass photographer at the Evil Queen.
  
  I thought the appetizer and dessert portions were small. I don’t like not having a choice! If you are a particularly picky eater, I don’t know if this is the restaurant for you.
  
  I would eat here again, but only if on the Dining Plan.
  
  I would love to hear any comments or questions you may have! Have you eaten here? What was your favorite part of the dining experience?
  
  Posted in Artist Point, Dining Review, Disney, Uncategorized, Vacation, Walt Disney World Resort, Wilderness Lodge | 0 Comments | Tagged Artist Point, Dinner, Disney, Disney Dining Plan, Foodie, Resort, Seven Dwarves, Snow White, Storybook Dining, Table Service, Walt Disney World, Wilderness Lodge
- Tickets Now Available for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!
  
  Posted at 9:43 am by taryngirl, on January 16, 2019
  This year, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will transform Magic Kingdom® Park into a spook-tacular celebration for a total of 36 nights! That’s right, two additional nights have been added to the event, extending it to Nov. 1, 2019.
  
  Here are the dates for 2019:
  - Aug. 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
  - Sept. 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29
  - Oct. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
  - Nov. 1
  Returning to the event will be spooky fun for everyone, including devilish Halloween décor, special entertainment such as fireworks, a parade and character greetings, as well as trick-or-treating throughout the park! In addition, you will have access to dozens of popular attractions and may even encounter some bewitching surprises along the way.
  
  If you are interested in adding tickets to this special event, please contact me at Taryn@MadHatterAdv.com! Pricing starts at $79 and varies depending upon date.
  Posted in Disney, Holidays at Disney, Magic Kingdom, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Uncategorized, Vacation | 0 Comments | Tagged Announcement, Disney, Holidays, Magic Kingdom, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, MNSSHP
- Typhoon Lagoon Review
  
  Posted at 11:26 am by taryngirl, on January 5, 2019
  
  It was on this day that we were checking out of the Poly and into Bay Lake Tower. Disney makes it very easy to switch resorts. You can give any luggage you wish to Bell Services to transfer for you. The only stipulation is it may not arrive until after 1 p.m. So if you need anything from your luggage, it may not be available until after that time. Also, it will not be delivered automatically to you. Once you check in to new resort, you can retrieve from Bell Services, or call down to them and they will bring it up.
  
  I handed off our luggage and we met my cousin in the lobby. This lobby is in my top 3 favorites! I love the theming! I am slightly sad they took the waterfall away, but it’s still great. There’s tons of comfortable seating here if you need a rest. Our plan was to catch Lyft/Uber around 9:30 a.m. But alas…we decided to splurge on the Minnie Van for the experience!
  
  I particularly like this option because there is no direct bus to Typhoon Lagoon at the moment. You have to take a bus to Disney Springs and then transfer to a different shuttle.
  
  I had done a little bit of research regarding lockers, seating, food, etc. I did know that I wanted to rent a locker to put our valuables in, because I didn’t want to put things at our chairs and then go off on a slide or in the wave pool where it was out of my view. This area was extremely busy! Everyone had the same idea. I also want to say that right at opening it was a madhouse.
  
  The bathrooms and changing area/showers were right near the lockers.
  
  There were plenty of these available at this location.
  
  After getting our locker and finding the bathroom, we headed for seats. There are lots of chairs all over. Not all of them are in the shade though. So if you require that, you definitely want to get there at opening or a little bit before! Look at the map of Typhoon Lagoon and have a plan for which direction you want to go.
  
  Our seats were right next to the wave pool, which is where I figured I’d spend most of my time. Alex took the girls to water slides immediately before lines got too long. I stayed with our stuff and hit the wave pool.
  
  Here’s a picture from later in the day. You can see how many people were just in this area! (Within an hour, every seat in our area was taken…)
  
  Here’s a view of the lazy river. This was my second favorite thing!
  
  They DO have life jackets for kids, so no need to bring your own.
  
  We were getting hungry and decided to find something for lunch. We decided on Leaning Palms. It was close and had something that my picky child would eat!
  
  There were a bunch of seats, most were filled. But we were lucky to snag one as people were leaving! Kinsey opted for the cheese pizza and I opted for the chicken fingers and fries. Both were good, standard quick service options.
  
  One thing I want to mention is the bees. There were SO.MANY.BEES. Flying around us, landing on our food/drink. The table next to us actually had an “incident” with a freaked out kid that sent a drink flying across the way. (I also got stung by a bee while in the wave pool!). So yes, we were on edge as we tried to hurry and eat and get out of there!
  
  Some other sights along the way:
  
  THIS! Was my favorite though. I only got a half dozen, but next time will get more!!
  
  This little donuts were OUTSTANDING! Warm, soft, sugary, and perfect when dipped in the chocolate!
  
  It was late afternoon and it was hot! We were getting tired of being in the sun, so packed up and headed out. As we were leaving, we saw Stitch! There were only a few people in line, so Kinsey got a few pics. She loves Stitch!
  
  Alex and I left separately since we were now at a different resort. We each ordered a Lyft ride!
  
  Up next…checking into Bay Lake Tower!
  
  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Typhoon Lagoon, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Disney, Leaning Palms, Stitch, Typhoon Lagoon
- Disney Springs – Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’
  
  Posted at 10:01 am by taryngirl, on December 13, 2018
  
  After our crazy, early morning at Hollywood Studios, we needed a definite afternoon break. We rested until about 6 p.m., at which time we headed to the bus stop to head to Disney Springs. We had a dining reservation at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’! This was not a new restaurant for us. I had eaten here twice before and it is now a must-do favorite for me!
  
  If you haven’t been to Disney Springs since it’s been redone, it’s definitely something to see. There are tons of shops and eateries ranging from 2 credit table service to counter service and snacks. It’s huge. I rarely make it over to Goofy’s Candy Company anymore because it’s so far from the bus stop!
  
  I love the decor and theming in this southern style place. It goes well with the comfort foods they serve!
  
  I already had an idea what I wanted. The past two times I ordered the same chicken sandwich, and knew I wanted to try something different. There are SO MANY GOOD OPTIONS! Appetizers themselves are delicious!
  
  Of course we had to have the deviled eggs, and my all-time favorite the hush puppies!
  
  SO SO GOOD! I could have just eaten this and been full and content.
  
  For my main meal, I ordered the Chopped Pork Barbecue Plate. Served with Mac and cheese and a biscuit.
  
  This was very good! I would order it again. It was a nice change from the chicken, and a huge portion that could easily be shared.
  
  Alex ordered the meatloaf. I think this was a special not listed on the regular menu! It was also super tasty!
  
  Of the kids ordered the Fried Chicken & Donuts. Again, so good, and so much food!
  
  Another of the kids ordered the Kitchen Plate, which allows you to choose three different sides. All of these were great! And a good option if you aren’t in the mood for meat, or want to share someone else’s.
  
  This was a meal off of the kid’s menu. Good portion sizes for little ones!
  
  Sadly we were too full for dessert! The list here is amazing! I have in the past had the Hummingbird Cake and it was huge and delicious! There was no way I could eat anything else tonight.
  
  If you are looking for something at Disney Springs, I highly encourage you to give Homecomin’ a try! If you are a fan of Moonshine, they have an entire menu dedicated to those drinks. They have both porch and indoor seating, and seating at the bar.
  
  Up next…Typhoon Lagoon!
  
  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Chef Art Smith's Homecomin', Dining Review, Disney Springs, Table Service
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