Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures

Tales from my (mostly Disney) travels!
Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures
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  • Tag: Walt Disney World

    • Magic Kingdom After-Fireworks Dessert Party

      Posted at 12:45 pm by taryngirl, on February 18, 2019

      8/16/18

      In all of my times traveling to Disney World, I have NEVER done a dessert party!  For one, my husband does not really like dessert, and two, it’s pricey!  When I saw that a new AFTER Fireworks Dessert Party was introduced, it intrigued me.  I DREAD when fireworks are over and there’s a stampede to exit…crowds, pushing, etc.  What better way to avoid all of that than eating some dessert!

      I booked us online and the cost was $69 for an adult and $41 for a child.

      Upon arrival, we headed to Tomorrowland Terrace area.  There were two different check-in stands as there are multiple dessert parties that you can do.  They issued us wristbands and then we had an escort to our reserved seating area in the Plaza Garden.  (You can check in up to an hour prior to the fireworks!). Once inside the Plaza Garden area, it’s free seating/standing anywhere you can find space.  It was not crowded at all when we got there.  We ended up here:

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      View straight ahead.

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      To our left.

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      To our right.

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      Most people at this point were just sitting on the lawn waiting.  We didn’t feel crowded or squished at all!

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      Behind us:

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      It’s starting!!

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      Our view was spectacular!  On very crowded, hot days, this experience may be worth it just for the lack of stress with the fireworks viewing!

      Once the Happily Ever After fireworks were over, we headed directly back to Tomorrowland Terrace for the dessert party (while everyone else was bum-rushing the exit!).  We checked in again at the podium and showed our wristbands.

      There were so many amazing options!

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      Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake!

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      POG Juice!

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      The seating area.  You can see it wasn’t full at all!

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      Overall, WE LOVED IT!  I would absolutely do it again (and skip dinner prior).  With the egg rolls and spinach dip, that was a meal itself!  I loved that everything was a small serving allowing us to sample multiple things.  I especially loved the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake with ice cream, the macaroons, and the chocolate covered strawberries.

      I would love to hear if you have ever done a dessert party?  Let me know in the comments!

      Posted in Dessert Party, Dining Review, Disney, Magic Kingdom, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Dessert Party, Dining Review, Disney, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
    • Magic Kingdom Morning and Breakfast at Be Our Guest

      Posted at 5:11 pm by taryngirl, on February 8, 2019

      8/16/18

      We had 9:30 a.m. breakfast reservations at Be Our Guest.  Since we were staying at Bay Lake Tower, we walked over!  It’s a quick, short, painless walk.  And you have your own security on the walkway over, so you avoid the mass screening lines once you arrive.

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      We were meeting my cousin in front of Be Our Guest, and made it there just in time.  This gentleman greeted us on the walk across the bridge.

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      So many fun details in this restaurant!

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      These fellas are lined up along where you wait to order.

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      Be Our Guest is one of the few Quick Service locations that accept Advanced Dining Reservations.  You can also order ahead for breakfast or lunch up to 30 days prior to your reservation.  Under My Reservations a link will appear next to your reservation.  You don’t have to do this though if you are not sure what you want!  I can be indecisive so I never order ahead.  I like to see what I’m hungry for once I get there.  ***NOTE!  This is from August.  Pricing has gone up since then and is not $28 for an entree!  the menu itself is also different now!  They have added just waffles, French toast sticks, etc.

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      Ordering is done on a touchscreen or with a live person.  They had both when we were there.

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      Breakfast and lunch seating is wherever you can find a spot!  There are three different “rooms” that you can choose from…Grand Ballroom, Rose Garden, and West Wing.  The Grand Ballroom has the most seating.  For dinner you are seated where they put you.

      Grand Ballroom:

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      West Wing:

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      I like to eat in the West Wing if I can find a table!  The rose is in this room and the room goes through a transformation as time goes on.

      For breakfast, you get a plate of pastries for your party.  My cousin and I ordered separately, so they got their own plate.  So this was just for 2 of us!  I didn’t order Kinsey an entree or meal here.  I knew she would just eat these pastries!
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      My meal:

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      Open-Faced Bacon and Egg Sandwich–Poached Eggs, Applewood Bacon, Brie Cheese, and Arugula on a Croissant served with Fresh Fruit.

      I loved this actually.  I have a hard time paying $25 for a breakfast though!  So we definitely don’t eat here every trip.  It’s more of a splurge.  It IS a good value on the dining plan for a Quick Service though.  A beverage also comes along with the entree.

      My cousin’s:

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      Vegetable Quiche–Mushroom, Zucchini, Bell Pepper, Onion and Chive Quiche served with Fresh Fruit

      My cousin’s:

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      Feast A La Gaston–Scrambled Eggs, Herb-Roasted Potatoes, Apple Smoked Bacon, and Sausage served with Fresh Fruit

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      After our yummy breakfast, we hit some rides in Fantasyland on the way to our first Fastpass+ at Haunted Mansion.

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      Posted in Be Our Guest, Dining Review, Disney, Magic Kingdom, Quick Service, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Be Our Guest, Disney, Magic Kingdom, Quick Service, Walt Disney World
    • 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:fullsizeoutput_207c

      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:

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      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
    • 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.

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      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.

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      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.

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      She was really great and stayed in character the entire time!

      The Menu:

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      This is the “allergy” menu they provided us when asked.

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      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?

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      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.

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      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.

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      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.

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      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.

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      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.

      2019-01-12 07.32.39These 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.

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      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.

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      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.

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      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!)

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      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.

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      Three others ordered the Royal Prime Rib Roast.  Horseradish Mashed Potato, Hay-Smoked Carrots, Popover, Jus

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      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.

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      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.

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      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.

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      Fairy Tale Gooseberry Pie–Meringue, Gooseberry

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      This tasted kind of like apple pie!  It was tasty, and small.  Maybe 3 spoonfuls??

      “Poison” Apple–White Chocolate-Apple Mouse, Sour Center

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      This was super cute and tasted just ok.  Gone in two bites!

      Miner’s Treasures–Sponge Cake, Chocolate Gems, and Buttercream Icing

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      This was my favorite of the three!  I loved the addition of the chocolate gems, and the buttercream frosting was really good!

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      Just when we thought we were finished (we were way past 60 minutes here by the way!), our waiter showed up with this:

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      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
    • March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 5}! Part 2–Satu’li Canteen and Mobile Ordering

      Posted at 7:57 pm by taryngirl, on August 1, 2018

      DID YOU KNOW…that for some Quick Service restaurants throughout Walt Disney World, you can order ahead?  This fantastic service is called MOBILE FOOD AND BEVERAGE ORDERING!  (You can read all about it directly through that link that takes you to Disney’s official page.)

      Basically, instead of waiting in line, you can go onto your My Disney Experience App,

      This is the menu shown outside of the restaurant:

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      The restaurant itself does have both indoor and outdoor seating.  One note, there are signs on the tables stating you must be a patron of the restaurant in order to use the tables.  So don’t plan on getting a table and sitting there while you wait for the rest of your party who is riding Flight of Passage.

      We stood outside the restaurant and used the My Disney Experience App to order our food. We walked in immediately.  When entering, just look for the separate Mobile Order Pick Up window.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN THE REGULAR LINE!  There was only one person in front of us in this line.

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      If you didn’t order ahead, this is what the line looked like:

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      What you can’t see is that the line snaked and then went out into the foyer area of the restaurant.  SO WORTH ORDERING AHEAD!  You can save so much time.

      Confession time…I was skeptical.  I always have modifications, no this, extra this, etc. etc.  You can still modify with the app! 

      Now to the good stuff…the delicious food!  I ordered the Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken Bowl with Rice and Creamy Herb Dressing and NO Boba Balls!  This is also served with Crunchy Vegetable Slaw.  I also asked for all three sauces on the side when I got up to the window.  The other two sauces are the Black Bean Vinaigrette, and the Charred Onion Chimichurri.  I mixed all three together in the bowl and it was SO GOOD.  I will definitely eat here again and I will definitely order this exact same thing!

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      My friend ordered the Kid’s Meal–Cheeseburger Steamed Pod which is served with Chips and a drink.IMG_0595

      My other friend ordered the Combination Bowl:  Grilled Beef and Chicken with Rice base and the Chimichurri Sauce.

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      They each also ordered a dessert.  This is the Chocolate Cake (chocolate cake with a crunchy cookie layer and banana cream topping).  We all tasted it.  It was really good and super rich!

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      The other dessert was the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse.  (blueberry cream cheese mousse with passion fruit curd)  I didn’t try this one, but they said it was good!

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      I have eaten here on a past trip as well.  These are some pictures of food my group ordered during that trip. 

      Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken with Romaine and Kale Salad Base.

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      Regular order of the Cheeseburger Pods served with Chips.

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      Overall, this quick service restaurant is one of my favorites!  Be sure to give it a try at least once.

      Up next…Cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas!

      Posted in AEP, Animal Kingdom, Dining Review, Quick Service, Satu'li Canteen, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Animal Kingdom, Avatar, Disney, Foodie, Mobile Ordering, Pandora, Quick Service, Satu'li Canteen, Walt Disney World
    • Joy Through the World! Holidays at Walt Disney World Resort Return November 8!

      Posted at 7:55 pm by taryngirl, on July 9, 2018

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      Taken directly from Disney Parks Blog:

      It’s Christmas in July! Today we are announcing the return of the holiday season to Walt Disney World Resort. Starting November 8, you will be able to celebrate this magical season with festive parties, captivating holiday décor, delicious treats, spectacular entertainment and enchanting experiences that make this season one of the most wonderful times to visit our theme parks, resorts and more!

      A Flurry of Fun comes back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the return of Sunset Seasons Greetings. Featuring impressive new laser effects and “snow,” holiday magic transforms the famous Hollywood Tower Hotel with spectacular projections of beloved Disney Characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Olaf sharing their favorite seasonal stories.

      Another returning favorite is the nighttime spectacular Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! The new Toy Story Land also gets special seasonal fun including holiday songs on Alien Swirling Saucers and more!

      Magic Kingdom Park will transform into a world of holiday enchantment that includes the specially ticketed event Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, offered during select nights in November and December.

      At Epcot you will discover joyous holiday traditions of 11 World Showcase nations during Epcot International Festival of the Holidays beginning Nov. 18. One of our favorite holiday traditions at Epcot is the Candlelight Processional and this year it starts performances on Nov. 22

      New this year at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the magic of nature will receive a holiday touch with the inclusion of Diwali, the holiday Festival of Lights in India, as part of the new live show UP! A Great Bird Adventure.

      There is even more holiday fun at the resorts across Walt Disney World with festive seasonal décor as well as life-sized edible creations. And at Disney Springs you will find the perfect destination for holiday shopping, dining and entertainment, with the chance to experience holiday magic along the way.

      You can find everything holidays at disneyworld.com/holidays.

      Now is the time to play big and start planning your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World Resort!

      Posted in Breaking Disney News!, Holidays at Disney, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Animal Kingdom, Announcement, Disney, Epcot, Holidays, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
    • Ultimate Disney Fall into Magic Package!

      Posted at 11:20 pm by taryngirl, on July 3, 2018

      fall into magic

      Kick off fall in the most exciting way of all with a unique 4-day/5-night package from September 3 to 8, 2018 at select Disney Resort hotels. With this limited-time offer, you’ll delight in an itinerary full of magical must-dos and exclusive experiences just for Guests on this package. You’ll also enjoy a 5-night stay at a select Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotel and 4-day Magic Your Way theme park tickets with Park Hopper Option!
      For example, starting at $149 per person, per night, a family of four—2 adults, 1 junior (ages 10 to 17) and 1 child (ages 3 to 9)—can stay in a standard room at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and delight in the enchantment of this offer for a total package price of $2,980.*

      Here’s a peek at what your incredible itinerary includes:

      • Tuesday, September 4, 2018: an exclusive “Welcome to Fall” dinner at Epcot inspired by the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Wednesday, September 5, 2018: a nighttime Kilimanjaro Safaris tour followed by an exclusive showing of Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park after park closing
      • Thursday, September 6, 2018: two hours of exclusive evening access to Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
      • Friday, September 7, 2018: tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom park

      Book now through August 19, 2018―and get excited for a vacation packed with adventure and spook-tacular memories!

      *The number of rooms allocated to this offer is limited. The number of packages available for purchase is limited. Valid theme park admission required to attend theme park events on September 4, 5 and 6 included with this offer. Theme park tickets with Park Hopper Option must be used within 14 days of first use. First use must be by December 31, 2019. Special event tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party only valid on September 7, 2018.
      Walt Disney Travel Company CST# 1022229-50

      Contact me if you would like a quote for this special offer!                                                     Email: taryn@madhatteradv.com Phone:  (610) 914-9754

      Posted in Breaking Disney News!, Special Offers, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Disney, Fall, Package, Resort, Special Offer, Walt Disney World
    • March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 4}–Part 3! My birthday! (Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review and Magic Kingdom)

      Posted at 12:16 am by taryngirl, on June 26, 2018

      This day was so jam packed, that I have to dedicate a third blog post to it.  I think I forgot to mention that today was my birthday!  Right before we disembarked the ship, we were treated to lunch at Cabana’s, which is the ship’s buffet.  The variety of food that is available here is amazing!  There’s something for everyone.  After lunch, we sadly had to get off the ship, and head back to our resort.  My roommates and I had plans for tonight, so we all took a little rest before grabbing an Uber to Fort Wilderness.

      I think I’ve mentioned this before, but Ubering is SO EASY in Disney!  Our destination was Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness, which is where the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is located.  Using Disney transportation, we would have had to board a bus to Magic Kingdom, then taken a boat to Fort Wilderness.  This would have easily taken 45 minutes to an hour.  Instead…we Ubered and were at Fort Wilderness in about 7 minutes.  Now, Fort Wilderness is tricky because it’s a campground.  There’s a front gate and the bus depot.  In order to get back to Pioneer Hall, you have to change buses and take the internal bus.  Uber drivers cannot drive beyond the original bus depot.  So we got out and hopped on the internal bus.  Now I have heard the Minnie Vans CAN drive all the way back.  (Minnie Vans are $25 flat fee no matter where you go on Disney property.  Uber is standard Uber pricing.)  This was not a big deal for us, and the internal buses are frequent, at least in my experience.

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      We made it!!

      If you are not familiar with the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, let me give you a little summary. 

      • It’s a dinner show with three available seating times available.
      • Prepayment is required.  Tickets may be picked up at any Walt Disney World Resort Concierge or Pioneer Hall.
      • You can make reservations online or by calling.
      • Here is the current (June 2018) seating chart with corresponding pricing.  (snipped directly from official WDW site)  The balcony goes all along the perimeter of the seating area below.
      • If you have an Annual Pass, you can get 10% off (as of June 2018).  They also accept Tables in Wonderland.
      • It’s a 2 hour singing, dancing, comedy show that is somewhat corny, but we love it!  This is the 4th time I’ve been here.
      • Did I mention that unlimited beer, wine and sangria are included?

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      Before going into the restaurant, we had some time to browse around the grounds.  There really is so much to see here!  There’s a really awesome playground right next to the building.  And plenty of horses to see.

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      There are also Photopass photographers here to take pictures for you!

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      It was time to enter!  To enter, you will check in at a “hostess stand” located in the middle of the walkway.  They will tell you where to line up.  There are two different doors you can enter.  The tables are numbered and assigned, and your number will be on your ticket.  You will know by what category you purchased, the general area you will need to head towards. 

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      As soon as you sit down, your waiter/waitress will come over to greet you and take your drink order.  Then the food starts coming!

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      I love this meal!  The salad is very good, with dressing that is super light.  The cornbread is AMAZING.  So amazing that I could eat both of these loaves by myself…but I didn’t.

      Food is served in buckets.  Yes buckets people!  You are at a hoe down of sorts.

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      Reallllllly good fried chicken and mashed potatoes!

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      Your food will be served in between show parts.

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      There are some surprises for a grand finale, and some audience participation.  After the show, when we were stuffed to the gills, we headed outside and found our way to the boat dock to Magic Kingdom.

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      I love, love, love being in the Magic Kingdom at night!  We still worked on some of our scavenger hunt pictures, and just hopped on some quick rides that had no wait.

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      Up Next…Day 5!

       

      Posted in AEP, Dining Review | 2 Comments | Tagged AEP, Dining Review, Disney, Fort Wilderness, Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, Magic Kingdom, Pioneer Hall, Walt Disney World
    • March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 1}!

      Posted at 6:54 pm by taryngirl, on May 21, 2018

      My first blog post!!!  I’ve been tossing around, “What should I start with?  Which trip should I talk about first?”  Well I decided to start with my most recent!

      I was very excited to be invited to attend my travel agency’s Disney Agent Education Program this past March.  About 40 agents from Mad Hatter Adventures Co descended upon the Walt Disney World Resort!  This would be my very first time meeting ANYONE from the agency in person…including the owner!  To say I was nervous is an understatement.

      My flight was leaving from Philadelphia bright and early at 6 a.m.  I was able to meet some fabulous agents as soon as I arrived to my gate.  Before I knew it, we had landed at MCO, and we made our way to the Magical Express.  Lines were very short, as it was only 8:30 a.m. in the morning!  We were staying at Port Orleans French Quarter and this was our queue:

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      We arrived at French Quarter and to our surprise, our room was ready.  I grabbed a quick breakfast of Mickey Waffles before heading to the room to dump off my carry on and rest for 10 minutes as I was getting a headache.

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      They were in the process of refurbishing the rooms at this resort.  We did not get a refurbed room which was totally fine!  We only spent time in the room when sleeping and showering.  This is probably my favorite Moderate Level resort.  It’s small!  Everything is a short walk away.  There’s a boat to take you to Disney Springs, and only one central bus stop for transportation to the parks.  I like the theming and the grounds.  It’s just beautiful!

      Now it was time to head to EPCOT!  We had free time today until a cocktail welcome party in the evening.  We wanted to make the most of our short time here, and check out the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival!  So off we headed to the bus stop.  This is a nice new addition to the bus transportation areas at the resorts.  It allows you to see when the next bus will be arriving.  Rats…we just missed the Epcot bus!

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      I had to stop at the ticket window to activate my Annual Pass (AP).  I’m a DVC member and they had an amazing Annual Pass special this past year.  I grabbed my passport and we were on our way!

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      Well…almost on our way.  We had to stop for some PhotoPass pictures.  You wouldn’t know it by looking at this picture, but I only met these people for the first time that morning!  (A perk of having an AP…Memory Maker is included!)

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      We all had various FP+ set up for the morning.  We headed for the Land pavilion so some could ride Soarin’.  I personally do not go on that ride, so I spent some time browsing around Sunshine Seasons.  Everyone was hungry, so we grabbed something small.  I opted for the Kid’s Chicken Caesar Salad meal.  This came with 2 sides and a drink.  I chose things I could take with me and snack on later.  This is an INCREDIBLE value!  The grand total for everything pictured was $6.38.  This salad is super tasty and I wouldn’t hesitate to get it again.  (As a side note…adults can order from the kid’s menu at any quick service dining location!  It’s cheaper and typically comes with a drink and 2 sides.)

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      From here, we went to ride Living with the Land.  There was actually a line for this!  We probably waited 20ish minutes.  We had some other people who were meeting up with us at this location, so we didn’t mind the wait.  I couldn’t help but take a picture of this quote on the wall.  (Which I never see because there’s never a line when I ride it!)

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      From here, we headed over to Journey Into Imagination with Figment….which was down!  So to regroup, we headed to the DVC Member Lounge located directly above Figment.  This is a great place to get a drink, snack, charge your phone, get out of the rain/heat/crowds, etc.  We chatted for a little bit and got to actually know each other and then headed back down to Figment.

      Fun fact!  Did you know that there are several photo booths all around?  These are included if you have Memory Maker!  This one was at the end of Journey Into Imagination with Figment.  Typically it looks nice and professional, but we all 3 jammed in the booth so had to push the curtain back out of our way.

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      Now it was time to head to the World Showcase and check out some of the Flower and Garden booths!  (These booths are similar to the Food & Wine Festival booths.  They offer snack sized foods and different beverages.)

      Our first stop, which ended up being my favorite out of them all, was The Honey Bistro hosted by the National Honey Board.

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      We ended up splitting things so we could sample more!  This was the Honey Tandoori Chicken Flatbread with White Cheddar Cheese, Charred Vegetables, Clover Honey Sour Cream and Micro Watercress ($5.25 and DDP Snack Eligible!)  This was my favorite out of everything I tried at the booths!  It had such a good flavor.

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      This was the Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey Blistered Grapes and Sunflower Brittle ($4.50 and DDP Snack Eligible.)  This was also very good!

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      We made our way around counter-clockwise.  I personally didn’t eat anything at the next few stands.  Besides food booths, there were so many amazing topiary displays!  This was one of my favorites.  We had a FP+ for Frozen Ever After.  I’ve only been on this once before so I wanted to make sure to ride it this time!

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      My next food booth was Bauernmarkt Farmer’s Market.  I tried the Potato Pancake with Caramelized Ham, Onions, and Herb Sour Cream.  ($4.50 and DDP Snack Eligible!)  This was good.  Not great, but good.

       

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      We had a FP+ for Spaceship Earth and had to be exiting the park by 6 p.m. ish, so we started to make our way back to the entrance.

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      I had to make one quick stop before exiting to check out some merchandise!  I completely regret not getting this backpack…

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      Up next… {AEP Day 2!}

       

       

      Posted in AEP, Epcot, Flower & Garden Festival | 2 Comments | Tagged AEP, Disney, Epcot, Flower & Garden Festival, Memory Maker, Port Orleans French Quarter, Spaceship Earth, Sunshine Seasons, Walt Disney World
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