Disney Resorts

Jennifer November 2, 2023 Disney

Disney Military Salute Tickets | 2024

Did you know that eligible service members get amazing ticket deals at WDW and Disneyland? For more than a decade, Disney has offered fantastic discounts to those that serve our country, and while the prices have most definitely gone up every year, the Disney Miltary Salute Tickets are still the absolute BEST prices you’ll find on Walt Disney World or Disneyland tickets.

This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you!) if you purchase when you click on the links. Thank you for supporting Love Dwells Here!!

Let’s get the fine print out of the way. In order to purchase these tickets, you must be an “Eligible Service Member”: active or retired US military, including active/retired National Guard, Reservists, US Coast Guard, US Space Force, Commissioned Corps of PHS, and the Commissioned Corps of NOAA. Spouses and Unremarried Widows are able to use their service member’s discounts, but no more than 6 tickets may be purchased by the service member or spouse. A valid ID is required to purchase tickets. If you don’t qualify for the military tickets, we always recommend booking through Undercover Tourist as they often offer savings over the gate price.

2024 WDW Military Salute Tickets

The 2024 Military Salute tickets are valid for admission from January 1, 2024, through December 20, 2024, but this year, there are some blockout dates. Tickets cannot be used from March 24 – April 6, 2024, or November 24 – 30, 2024. As usual, tickets are limited to 6 per Eligible Service Member/spouse.

Unlike traditional Disney tickets, Military Salute tickets don’t expire until December 20, 2024, so you can use your days however you want during the year. We typically break the days up and use them throughout the year rather than during one big trip. Plus, Memory Maker is available for $98.

Tickets are available at a WDW ticket booth (where tax will be added), your local ITT, or at Shades of Green (and they’re tax-free!). We always order ours from Shades of Green (SOG) because they come already activated – so you can skip waiting in line on your first day to activate – and they’re a bit cheaper!

4-Day WDW Disney Military Salute Tickets

Park Hopper: $369 plus tax (gate) OR $365 Shades of Green
Park Hopper Plus: $399 plus tax OR $395 Shades of Green

5-Day WDW Disney Military Salute Tickets

Park Hopper: $389 plus tax OR $385 Shades of Green
Park Hopper Plus: $419 plus tax OR $415 Shades of Green

6-Day WDW Disney Military Salute Tickets

Park Hopper: $409 plus tax OR $405 Shades of Green
Park Hopper Plus: $439 plus tax OR $435 Shades of Green

2024 Disneyland Military Salute Tickets

The Military Salute tickets are valid for admission from January 2, 2024, through December 13, 2024, with no block-out dates. Just like at WDW, tickets are limited to 6 per Eligible Service Member/spouse. Disneyland Military Salute tickets don’t expire until December 13, 2024, so you can use your days however you want throughout the year. This offer is only available through US military base ticket offices – we’ve found Camp Pendleton to be the easiest option and they’ll mail the tickets right to your house!

3-Day Disneyland Military Salute Tickets 2024

Park Hopper: $269
Park Hopper with Disney Genie+ Service: $359

4-Day Disneyland Military Salute Tickets 2024

Park Hopper: $315
Park Hopper with Disney Genie+ Service: $435

2024 Disney Military Resort Discounts

Resort discounts at WDW and Disneyland are a great way to stay at the new resort you’ve been wanting to try or to save some money at your fave. In the past, resort discounts were a set percentage discount of the regular price of the room, but now they’re on a sliding scale. Just like in 2023, availability has been limited compared to years prior. Currently, those discounts are UP TO 30% off at Values, UP TO 35% off at Moderates, and UP TO 40% off at Deluxe resorts.

Walt Disney World

US military members can SAVE at most WDW resorts between January 1, 2024, and December 20, 2024
You must call 407-939-7830 to book (or to apply the discount to your current reservation)
This offer is VERY limited, and availability will go fast!
The Villas at Grand Floridian, Campsites at Fort Wilderness, Pop Century, and Caribbean Beach Resort are all excluded, as well as some specific room categories at other resorts.

Disneyland

US military members can SAVE at all three Disneyland resorts between now and December 13, 2024.
You must call 833-618-0536 to book (or to apply the discount to your current reservation)
Like at WDW, this offer is limited, and availability will go fast!

So tell me, are you planning a 2024 Disney trip to take advantage of this year’s Disney Military Salute tickets and resort deals??

Are you looking for more military discounts? Check out these posts:

Universal Studios Military Freedom Pass | Renewed for 2023!
Waves of Honor Veterans Promotion | SeaWorld | Busch Gardens
And, while not a military discount, it’s still an important post – “Happy” Memorial Day from an Army Widow

Jennifer November 24, 2021 Disney

2022 Disney Military Salute Tickets

It’s that magical time of year again – the 2022 Disney Military Salute Tickets were announced! For more than a decade, Disney has offered fantastic discounts to those that serve our country, and while the prices have most definitely gone up every year, these are still the absolute best prices you’ll find on Walt Disney World or Disneyland tickets.

2022 Disney Military Salute Ticket Offer + Resorts

This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you!) if you choose to purchase when you click on the links. Thank you for supporting Love Dwells Here!!

First things first, in order to purchase these tickets you must be an “Eligible Service Member”: active or retired US military (including active/retired National Guard, Reservists, US Coast Guard, US Space Force, Commissioned Corps of PHS, and the Commissioned Corps of NOAA). Spouses and Unremarried Widows are able to use their service member’s discounts. A valid ID is required to purchase tickets. If you don’t qualify for the military tickets, we always recommend booking through Undercover Tourist as they often offer savings over the gate price.

2022 WDW Military Salute Tickets

The Military Salute tickets are valid for admission from January 1, 2022, through December 16, 2022, with NO blockout dates. As usual, tickets are limited to 6 per Eligible Service Member/spouse. Unlike traditional Disney tickets, Military Salute tickets don’t expire until December 16, 2022, so you can use your days however you want throughout the year. We typically break the days up and use them throughout the year. Plus, Memory Maker is available for $98.

4-Day WDW Disney Military Salute Tickets

Park Hopper: $329 plus tax (gate) OR $323 Shades of Green
Park Hopper Plus: $359 plus tax OR $353 Shades of Green
Park Hopper and Disney Genie+ Service: $389 plus tax OR $382 Shades of Green
Park Hopper Plue and Disney Genie+ Service: $419 plus tax OR $412 Shades of Green

5-Day WDW Disney Military Salute Tickets

Park Hopper: $349 plus tax OR $343 Shades of Green
Park Hopper Plus: $379 plus tax OR $372 Shades of Green
Park Hopper and Disney Genie+ Service: $424 plus tax OR $416 Shades of Green
Park Hopper Plue and Disney Genie+ Service: $454 plus tax OR $446 Shades of Green

2022 Disneyland Military Salute Tickets

The Military Salute tickets are valid for admission from July 6, 2021, through December 16, 2022. These tickets are blocked out from: December 17-31, 2021, and April 9-17, 2022. Just like at WDW, tickets are limited to 6 per Eligible Service Member/spouse and Military Salute tickets don’t expire until December 16, 2022, so you can use your days however you want throughout the year. Plus, the Disney PhotoPass Collection is available for $49.

3-Day Disneyland Military Salute Tickets

Park Hopper: $225 plus tax

4-Day Disneyland Military Salute Tickets

Park Hopper: $260 plus tax

2022 Military Resort Discounts

Resort discounts at WDW and Disneyland are a great way to stay at the new resort you’ve been wanting to try or to save some money at your fave. In the past, resort discounts were a set percentage off of the regular price of the room, but now they’re on a sliding scale. For 2022, we’ve found availability to be less than in years prior. Currently, those discounts are UP TO 30% off at Values, UP TO 35% off at Moderates, and UP TO 40% off at Deluxe resorts.

Walt Disney World

US military members can SAVE at most WDW resorts between January 1, 2022, and December 16, 2022
You must call 407-939-7830 to book (or to apply the discount to your current reservation)
This offer is VERY limited and availability will go fast!
The Villas at Grand Floridian, Campsites at Fort Wilderness, Pop Century, and Caribbean Beach Resort are all excluded as well as some specific room categories at other resorts.

Disneyland

US military members can SAVE at all three Disneyland resorts between now and December 16, 2022.
You must call 800-372-6820 to book (or to apply the discount to your current reservation)
Like at WDW, this offer is limited and availability will go fast!

So tell me, are you planning a 2022 Disney trip to take advantage of the new military deals?

Looking for more military discounts? Check out these posts:

Universal Studios Military Freedom Pass | Renewed for 2022!
Waves of Honor Veterans Promotion | SeaWorld | Busch Gardens
And, while not a military discount, it’s still an important post – “Happy” Memorial Day from an Army Widow

Jennifer February 3, 2020 Disney

Storybook Dining at Artist Point | Wilderness Lodge

One of the newest additions to the WDW dining scene, Storybook Dining at Artist Point is a character dinner located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort. Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to dinner we go- yep, this character meal features Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy and the Evil Queen herself!

Pin image for Storybook Dining at Artist Point

We absolutely LOVE the Wilderness Lodge! Jake and I enjoyed relaxing in the lobby when we stayed at Copper Creek Villas a couple of years ago so we were excited to introduce the kiddos to the beauty of the resort. They were immediately drawn to the giant fireplace (even though it was nearly 100º outside) and made themselves at home in the giant rocking chairs. We didn’t stay too long since we were headed to dinner but the kids are already asking to go back to stay.

The details at Storybook Dining are amazing! The leatherbound menus fit in perfectly with the theme of the restaurant and the signed apple on the napkin is the cutest thing.

The Storybook Dining menu seems to change a bit seasonally, especially on the appetizer front, but this is the current one as of Summer 2019. Like all of the other character meals at WDW, this is a fixed price menu: adults are $60 and children (3-9) are $39 before tax and tip or it’s one table service dining credit on the Disney Dining Plan.

We were seated at a large round table that I’m guessing would comfortably seat about 8. One of the most interesting features here is the tree stump lazy susan in the center of the table that is used for the shared appetizers and desserts.

The appetizers are served family-style and there’s plenty for everyone! The Mushroom Bisque is served in the cutest little cauldron- no one in our house is a huge fan of mushrooms (and some actually despise them!) so it wasn’t anyone’s favorite. The Hunter’s Terrine (chicken sausage with pickles and stonefruit preserves) and Wicked Shrimp Cocktail (with soy, miso, avocado, Thai chili, and greens) were much more popular with our crew.

Ellie LOVED the kids’ appetizer! It had a cute potted bread, veggie sticks, and create-your-own honey butter.

Snow White entered the room dancing and paraded around for a bit before meeting at tables. Like all character dining at Disney, the characters make their way around the restaurant individually and pose for a quick picture. I’d heard wonderful things about the character interactions here (and that’s part of why we booked this one) but I found them to be sorely lacking. The characters were all rushed and were at our table for MAYBE a minute each. As a family with five kids, and ones that are not the least bit shy and LOVE chatting with characters, I found that to be pretty sad.

On to the main course! Ben and Lexie both had the Royal Prime Rib Roast and they both said that it was fine- nothing spectacular or their favorite meal ever, but they enjoyed it and ate it all.

Like Snow White, Grumpy and Dopey walk around the restaurant and pose for a quick picture. There’s no PhotoPass photographer with them so make sure to have your camera ready!

Ellie ordered the grilled chicken and said it was tasty. While she also loved the broccolini, she was not a fan of the roasted potatoes so our server brought out a side of fries for her.

All the kids hanging out with Dopey!

Christopher and I both ordered the Sorceress Spell of Land and Sea (Charred Barbecue Pork, Clams, Daikon Noodles, and Spring Onion Chimichurri) and it was delicious. The presentation was great and the flavors worked well together- though I found the pork to be on the fatty side, but I’m assuming that was just my particular piece and not a representation of the dish. Jacob had the Magic Mirror Slow-braised Pork Shank (with Mashed Celery Root, Wilted Greens, and Jus) and it was the clear winner at our table. Nick ordered the Royal Prime Rib Roast (with Horseradish Mashed Potato, Carrots, Popover, and Jus) and enjoyed it as well.

And then it was time for dessert! These were served family-style like the appetizers, and there was enough for one per person. The Fairy Tale Gooseberry Pie (Meringue, Gooseberry) was VERY tart and the ‘Poison’ Apple (Dark Chocolate-Apple Mousse, Sour Center) was definitely sour. The Miner’s Treasures (Sponge Cake, Chocolate Gems, Berry Panna Cotta) was the favorite at our table.

The showstopping Hunter’s Gift to the Queen (Cracked Maple Popcorn and Ganache Heart) is brought to the table in a smoky box. We all felt that the presentation of the desserts far surpassed the actual quality of the desserts.

She loved the little poison apples- and ate most of them- but clearly had enough of taking pictures!

The Evil Queen is the only character that you go up and wait in line to see. We were told to go get in line to see her after we finished dessert though I think in the future if there’s a short line, I’d hop up and do it between courses of the meal. Like the rest of our character interactions, we felt like this one was lacking. The group in front of us had a HUGE party and they spent a good 10 minutes taking pictures in multiple configurations and chatting with the Queen. When it was our turn, the whole process was rushed and she barely talked to us- we were done in maybe 90 seconds. And again, the kids ENJOY talking to characters and make an effort to interact so the rushed nature was not something they’re used to experiencing with character dining and left all of us feeling kind of meh about the whole thing.

Overall, this one was probably a one and done for our family. We don’t get the Disney Dining Plan and I felt like it was REALLY expensive out of pocket- roughly $400 including tax/tip. Plus, our experience with the character interaction was underwhelming, though I’ve heard other people rave about how great it is. The food was good, just not quite worth the money for our family, though it’s a GREAT value on the Disney Dining Plan.

Things to Remember for Dinner at Story Book Dining at Artist Point

- Dinner at Storybook Dining is one table service credit if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan. Otherwise, it’s currently $60 (excluding tax and tip) for adults and $39 for the 3-9 crowd. There are often slight seasonal price fluctuations so keep that in mind. I think it’s a fantastic use of one table service credit but if you’re paying out of pocket, it can get VERY expensive, VERY quickly.
- This is the only place to meet the Evil Queen inside or outside the parks at Walt Disney World.
- Reservations can fill up quickly so make sure to book 180 days out (or 180+10 if you’re staying on-site). If you can’t get a reservation, keep trying, because people cancel and move around their plans all the time. We snagged this one somewhat last minute.
- This restaurant is a favorite for people on their Magic Kingdom days since it’s just a quick boat ride away. If you time it right, you can take the boat to Wilderness Lodge for dinner and be back in the park before the fireworks! We booked an early dinner and then took the boat to Magic Kingdom for Villains After Hours which worked out well and made for a fun “Villains” night.

Have you been to Storybook Dining?? What’s your favorite character meal at WDW??

Jennifer October 14, 2019 Disney

Disney Bucket List

DISNEY PARKS

Walt Disney World
Disneyland
Disneyland Paris
Shanghai Disneyland
Tokyo Disney
Hong Kong Disneyland
Go on a Disney Cruise

MAGIC KINGDOM

Attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (and here are some Tips and Tricks!)
Attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (and here are some Tips and Tricks!)
Do the “Keys to the Kingdom” Tour
Watch the Festival of Fantasy Parade from the VIP area
Do a fireworks dessert party
Stay for the Kiss Goodnight at the Magic Kingdom
See the hidden Mickey on Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid (can only be seen at noon on 11/18, Mickey’s birthday)
Be “That Guy” at the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
Be the Beast in Enchanted Tales with Belle
Watch sunrise in the Magic Kingdom
Attend Villains After Hours
Go on a ride with a character

EPCOT

Attend the Flower and Garden Festival
Attend the Food and Wine Festival
Attend the Festival of the Arts
Attend the Festival of the Holidays
Drink around the world– all in one day!
Pick a pearl in Japan
Do the “Behind the Seeds Tour”
See the Candlelight Processional

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Find DiVine in Animal Kingdom and watch her perform
Become a Wilderness Explorer
Do the “Caring for Giants” Tour

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

See Toy Story Land
Get a family picture on Tower of Terror
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Pilot the Millenium Falcon

DISNEY WATER PARKS

Take surfing lessons at Typhoon Lagoon
Spend the day at Blizzard Beach

Stay at Disney’s Aulani
Stay at all of the WDW Deluxe Resorts
Stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite or Cinderella Castle Suite
Make s’mores with Chip and Dale at the Campfire Sing-A-Long at Fort Wilderness
Go to the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness
See the Christmas Lights at Fort Wilderness
Ride the Surrey bikes on the Boardwalk
Take a boat cruise during the fireworks
Watch the Electrical Water Pageant

DISNEY DINING

Eat at every table-service restaurant at Disney World
Eat at EVERY restaurant at Disney World– the Golden Spoon!
Eat in Cinderella Castle (Cinderella’s Royal Table)
Do the Rio Grande Nacho Challenge at Pecos Bills (no longer offered)

MISCELLANEOUS DISNEY FUN

Become DVC Members
Attend a DVC Moonlight Magic event
Do a VIP Tour
Do an adults-only trip
Go on a trip with a friend
Do Disney ALONE!
Stay from rope drop to extra magic hours close
4 parks in one day
Visit the Walt Disney Family Museum

What’s on your Disney Bucket List??

Jennifer July 24, 2019 Disney

Dinner at ‘Ohana | Polynesian

“What are the must-do restaurants at WDW?” is one of the most common questions that we get asked. Our response is typically the same mentioning Satu’li Canteen, Frontera Cocina, and the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast, but dinner at ‘Ohana is ALWAYS at the top of our list. Located at the Polynesian Village Resort, ‘Ohana is one of the most popular restaurants at Walt Disney World, and for good reason! With an awesome character breakfast (featuring Stitch!) and an amazing All-You-Care-To-Enjoy dinner, it’s hard to go wrong!

Like all table service restaurants at WDW, reservations open 180 days out, or 180+ 10 if you’re staying on WDW property. Since this one can be difficult to get, we recommend snagging it at the 180-day mark if possible. However, we’ve had plenty of success getting a reservation, even as a party of seven, the night before so definitely keep trying if you don’t get it the first time.

We’ve been eating at ‘Ohana for the past decade- look at how little Nick and Ben were on our first visit!- and it is hands down, the favorite WDW restaurant of our entire crew. Like to the point that it’s what they request for their birthday dinners EVERY year knowing full well that we aren’t driving to Florida. As our kids have gotten older (4/5 are Disney adults) and dining prices have climbed, it’s become a restaurant that we do once a year instead of once a trip, but it’s definitely a can’t-miss for our fam!

See, we like ‘Ohana so much that our kids dress like the valets at the Polynesian! ???? If you’re staying in one of the WDW resorts you’ll either need to drive your vehicle or take a Minnie Van (or Uber/Lyft) to get to the Polynesian since there are no busses between resorts. If you’re coming directly from one of the parks you can take the monorail, boat, or bus depending on where you’re coming from, but make sure that you have a way to get back to your car or resort when you’re done. If you’re driving, let the guard know that you have a dinner reservation which they typically verify by scanning your MagicBand, and then you’re free to park in the resort parking lot or use valet. TIP: You can valet your car for FREE at the resorts if you have a Tables in Wonderland card OR a handicapped placard.

We always stop for a quick photo with the tiki guy in the lobby of the Polynesian and oftentimes there is a PhotoPass photographer that will take your picture- with their camera or yours! Since we go every year, this is a fun way to see how much the kids have grown over time. ‘Ohana is on the second floor of the main building of the Polynesian so from the tiki guy, head to the back right corner and up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, you can check-in for your reservation and usually, they will give you a pager that goes off once your table is ready.

Look at those happy kids! When we check-in at the desk we always request a window table and let them know that we’re willing to wait for one if needed and our request is usually granted. TIP: If you want to watch the fireworks from your table, make your reservation for 1-1.5 hours before the show.

‘Ohana means family and that theme continues throughout your time at the restaurant. Your server is affectionately known as “cousin” and all of the food is served family-style, including the AMAZING pineapple-coconut bread that kicks off dinner.

Check out that view of Cinderella Castle from our table!

The mixed green salad came out next and the kids dug in. They’re big salad eaters at home, too, so I wasn’t surprised when they all loaded their plates up with salad, but I did remind them that the best was still to come!

This skillet was stuffed full of pork dumplings, honey-coriander chicken wings, teriyaki noodles, and stir-fried veggies. The kids wasted no time and filled their plates and their bellies. Like other AYCTE restaurants, a non-alcoholic drink is included in the price of the meal. We all love the POG juice (passion fruit, orange, guava) at the ‘Ohana breakfast and we always order it at dinner, too!

Ellie LOVED the wings and ate half a dozen herself. Kids can order the usual nuggets and mac and cheese if they’re picky eaters but ours have always been able to find at least a few things that they like even if it means eating their weight in chicken wings.

All of the meats (chicken, steak, and shrimp) are prepared over an oak fire and then brought out on skewers. Your “cousin” will serve you as much or as little as you would like though we’ve found that they typically give you a bit more than you ask for.

The spicy grilled peel-n-eat shrimp is always a hit at our table, especially with Lexie- I think she ate about 30 last time! Even though it’s called “spicy” shrimp, I’ve never really noticed much spice so definitely give it a try even if you’re spice-averse. The bigger issue is that it is peel-n-eat shrimp and does still have the legs attached so there’s an extra step in getting it ready for the kiddos, at least until they learn to peel their own shrimp!

There are also skewers of sweet-n-sour chicken and Szechuan sirloin steak that make the rounds. And since this is an All-You-Care-To-Enjoy meal, you can ask for seconds, thirds, etc of anything and they’re super good about asking several times if you’d like more of any of the meats.

This girl loves her shrimp, and she’s super lucky that she has a nice Dad that peels it for her since she thinks it’s gross! And in an effort to maintain transparency, he peels mine, too! ????

We always end up requesting more potstickers because they’re a family favorite! After they bring your initial skillet of appetizers and accompaniments, you can get smaller plates of individual items. That way if your fam wants more potstickers and wings (our usual request) you’re not wasting the other food.

For our family, ‘Ohana is the epitome of Disney magic. We’ve had fantastic service for every dinner, the food has always been amazing, and we love watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our table. This restaurant will always be our little slice of Disney heaven. If you time your reservation for about an hour before the fireworks you may be able to watch them from your table. The window tables have the best view (and we prefer being on the left side away from the pool/pool lights) but many other tables also have a decent view as well.

After the fireworks ended, our cousin brought out the famous ‘Ohana Bread Pudding à la mode for dessert. It’s Nick’s absolute FAVORITE dessert of anything that he’s ever had and he requested (and received) his own slice, but the rest of us were more than okay sharing since we’d just eaten a massive dinner. There are Rice Krispies Treats available for the kiddos if they don’t like bread pudding or they can get a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Things to Remember for an ‘Ohana Dinner

This one is All-You-Care-To-Enjoy so make sure to come hungry!
Dinner at ‘Ohana is one table service credit if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan. Otherwise, it’s about $55 (including tax/excluding tip) for adults and $31 for the 3-9 crowd. There are often slight seasonal price fluctuations so keep that in mind.
Dinner is NOT a character meal- if you’re looking for characters, you’ll want to check out the ‘Ohana breakfast.
Reservations can fill up quickly so make sure to book 180 days out (or 180+10 if you’re staying on-site). If you can’t get a reservation, keep trying, because people cancel and move around their plans all the time.
Many people like the earlier reservation times as a break from Magic Kingdom since it’s just a quick monorail ride away. If you time it right, you can hop over for dinner and be back in the park before the fireworks!

What’s your fave restaurant at WDW??

Jennifer March 21, 2019 Disney

1900 Park Fare Dinner Review | Grand Floridian

Even though we’ve been to Disney World many times, we still haven’t done it all, and really, we’ve not even come close! Every time that we go, we try to incorporate new activities and restaurants, and the character dinner at 1900 Park Fare was one of our new experiences for this trip. We love doing character meals because it means that we don’t have to use park time to meet characters AND we get to check out different restaurants and resorts.

1900 Park Fare is located inside the beautiful Grand Floridian Resort, Walt Disney World’s Victorian-themed, flagship resort. While we often stop and wander around the hotel when we’re resort hopping on the monorail, this was the kids’ first time at a Grand Floridian restaurant (Jake and I went to Narcoosee’s and the Grand Floridian Café on our adults-only anniversary trip!).

We checked in a few minutes early for our reservation and were told that our party of 12 would be split into 2 tables, one for 8 and one for 4, as the maximum that their tables seat is 8. We were slightly annoyed as this was not disclosed when we made the reservation (and I have seen that disclosure at other restaurants), but since the hostess said there was nothing that they could do, we went along with it.

However, after being seated, we noted numerous tables (empty ones at that!) that could have been pulled together to accommodate a party of 12. After speaking with a manager, we found out that while they CAN seat large parties at one “table,” they don’t like doing it and it is really up to the personing assigning tables if they want to go to the extra effort for guest satisfaction. Now, for our party that consisted of four teens/tweens, it was not a huge deal to be split 8/4, but with a different configuration or younger children, it would have been incredibly inconvenient.

Once we got everyone situated, our server came around and took our drink orders and said everyone could head up to the buffet to get food and to make sure to check both sides because they had different offerings. I sent the kids up to get their food but told them to hustle so they didn’t miss any characters.

Prince Charming was the first character to come to our table. He chatted with the boys at their table first (Lexie was still at the buffet…) and then invited them to stand for a picture. The hardest part of having the tables split was that the characters didn’t realize that we had 4 kids at one table and 2 kids at the other. Or that the familial grouping of kids was actually 5/1 and we sometimes wanted pictures in that configuration, so we had to be very on top of things to get the kids in the picture.

The sweethearts with Prince Charming. I think the boys appreciated that this dinner wasn’t just a princess meal and featured a male character as well. And the girls love everything princess-related so it was right up their alley!

My niece, Hannah, wanted nothing to do with being in a picture with the rest of the kids and Prince Charming, however, she was content to smile for a quick picture from the safety of mom’s lap.

After Cinderella entered the room, she and Prince Charming danced around and quickly posed for pictures as a twosome, though not with any guests. It was fun to watch the interaction between the two of them since they do not typically meet together in the parks.

Cinderella was the next to come to our table and Ellie was in LOVE! Cinderella was so sweet to her and twirled her around a bit before posing for the pictures.

Cinderella and Lexie– a lot of the little girls that we saw were dressed up in their big princess dresses and while I feel like that would be uncomfortable for a long time, this t-shirt and tutu combo from the Disney Store was perfect, especially for the tween crowd as they grow out of the more common princess dresses!

Since Lexie got her picture alone with Cinderella, Ellie had to have one, too, and Cinderella was happy to oblige!

1900 Park Fare is known for their strawberry soup and it is served at both the breakfast and the dinner character buffets. It’s a chilled soup, tastes of strawberries and cream, and it is completely delicious!

After filling up about a dozen of the taster cups, Lexie finally filled a bowl with the strawberry deliciousness– it was her absolute favorite part about our dinner at 1900 Park Fare!

Anastasia, one of Cinderella’s stepsisters was the next to arrive and she was a riot!! Since the kids’ table had our three boys, she wanted to know which one was the richest or would have the best inheritance because that’s the one that she wanted to marry!!

Christopher and Benjamin quickly answered that Nick was the “richest” and Anastasia declared that they would be married! Clearly, Nick was not too sure about that proposition!

Drizella, Cinderella’s other stepsister was our last character of the night, and she played the role perfectly. She was loud, obnoxious, and made faces the entire time! Our crew got a kick out of the stepsisters and they were definitely the highlight of the evening! For some reason, Lady Tremaine, Cinderella’s stepmother was not meeting that evening though she does usually round out the group.

While the 1900 Park Fare dinner does not include a PhotoPass picture with a character (like at Cinderella’s Royal Table), you can get one with Cinderella’s glass slipper which of course, Lexie and Ellie wanted to take advantage of!

Overall we had an enjoyable experience though I don’t think it will become a must-do for our family. While the service (following the table issue) was adequate, it was not anything special or memorable. The food was good for a Disney buffet, in fact, it was one of the better Disney buffets that we’ve been to, but again, it was nothing hugely special or memorable so I’m guessing that’s why I forgot to take pictures of everything but the soup. It was a great opportunity for our family to meet characters that we haven’t met before and we really enjoyed the interaction with the stepsisters. If we return for another dinner, it will be more for the character interaction and strawberry soup than for the rest of the buffet.

Things to Remember for a 1900 Park Fare Dinner

The usual characters are Cinderella, Prince Charming, Anastasia, Drizella, and Lady Tremaine, though that’s always subject to change and a replacement is not always available.
Reservations fill up quickly so make sure to book 180 days out (or 180+10 if you’re staying at a Disney resort). If you can’t get a reservation, keep trying because people change and cancel their plans all the time!
Parties bigger than 8 may be split up and it’s at the discretion of the person assigning tables.
The more you interact with the characters, the more fun the experience will be. They love to play along but that means you have to participate and fuel the banter (especially if you have little kids).
Try the strawberry soup!!

Have you been to 1900 Park Fare for breakfast or dinner?? What’s your favorite character meal at Disney World??

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Jennifer March 15, 2019 Disney

Bon Voyage Breakfast Review | Boardwalk

The Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno in Walt Disney World’s Boardwalk Resort is one of the hardest, if not the hardest, dining reservation to book. Since its debut over a year ago, it has been wildly popular and it is difficult to get a reservation even at 180+ days, especially for a larger family, but it is TOTALLY worth it if you can snag a reservation!

Six months before our trip, I was up at 6am every morning trying to secure a coveted reservation for our larger group of 12 or for our immediate family of 7 and had absolutely no luck. However, the night before, as I was checking the My Disney Experience app just in case, an opening popped up for 7 at the perfect time. And since it was before the rest of the family would be in town, I didn’t feel bad booking it for just our family! We didn’t tell the kids because it’s fun surprising them with something new every once in a while.

We drove over to the Boardwalk resort area and dropped our car off with the valet, a free perk if you have the Tables in Wonderland card (the card is only available to WDW Annual Passholders, DVC owners, and Florida residents). The kids were excited to check out the Boardwalk since we’ve never been in all of our trips to WDW.

Since the Bon Voyage breakfast is a character meal, it’s a set price of $40 for adults and $24 for kids 3-9– kiddos under 3 are free! Each meal comes with pastries, a fruit cup (it was a berry/melon mix when we were there!), your choice of entree and a non-alcoholic beverage so not a bad deal at all.

The pastries come in a cute, little frying pan (à la Tangled) and the pastries have fun Disney touches like the sun from Tangled and a shell with a pearl from The Little Mermaid. The kids quickly divided up our treats and snacked on them while they perused the menu.

The chocolate croissant twists were definitely our favorite and our server was happy to bring out more for us to enjoy (and even packaged up the leftovers since we weren’t able to finish all of them). We loved the fruit cups as well and our server mentioned we could have more fruit if we were interested though the kids were ready for their entrees and characters at that point.

Flynn Rider was the first character to stop by our table and he was PHENOMENAL! He talked with the kids at length, watched Ellie dance and told her that she should show Punzie her moves, told jokes, and spent wayyyy more time with our family than I would have ever expected.

And he taught the boys how to smolder- although they’re nowhere near as good at it as Flynn Rider! They spent the rest of the day working on their own versions of “the smolder”.

Our food came out right as Flynn Rider was leaving and Ben was so excited to see the giant trident in his breakfast. Our server let me take a quick picture before she had to remove it and take it back to the kitchen.

King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno- calzone with scrambled eggs, bell peppers, soppressata, bacon, sausage, blend of cheeses, and Sunday gravy.

Both Ben and Jacob ordered this and thought it was delicious. It was way too much food for Ben but since he’s technically a Disney adult and we had to pay the adult price for him, I let him order it knowing that someone else would probably finish up what he couldn’t (cue teenage boys to the rescue!). Jacob loved it and said it made for a good brunch entree (we had a 1030am reservation) since it was a combination of breakfast and lunch foods and the bite I had was tasty.

Rapunzel was the next character to come around and like Flynn Rider, she was wonderful! She spent a ton of time chatting with the kids, listened to all of their jokes and even told a few of her own.

When Ellie mentioned that Flynn Rider said she should show Rapunzel her dance moves, she was so sweet and danced with Ellie right by our table. They went through all of the ballet positions and then twirled around for a minute. We were really impressed with how long she was at our table and the level of interaction was amazing!

Tower of Pancakes: fluffy buttermilk pancakes, bacon (or sausage), and strawberry compote (on the side)

Nick and Lexie both ordered the pancakes with bacon and strawberries on the side and while the portion looks small, it was deceptively large. The four pancakes are THICK and hearty and so neither kid was able to completely finish their meals. Like Ben, Lexie is a Disney adult so I let her pick from the adult menu but they both would have been fine ordering off of the children’s menu.

Prince Eric came to our table next and while it was fun to meet him, he wasn’t nearly as interactive with the kids as Flynn Rider or Rapunzel. He pretty much posed for a picture and then was on his way to the next table. I do appreciate that this character meal (and only this one!) offers the opportunity to meet the male counterparts to Disney princesses making it appeal to more than just little girls.

The Royale Breakfast: oak-grilled steak, cheesy-egg torte and fonduta, crispy onions and roasted potatoes.

Christopher and I both ordered this and thought that it was divine. The steak (though it looks really rare in this picture) was cooked perfectly and was melt in your mouth delicious. Christopher didn’t like the consistency of the egg torte but I thought it was good- I have heard that you can sub scrambled eggs if you aren’t interested in the torte.

Ariel was the last character to come to our table and she was a lot of fun! She listened to Ellie’s stories about dancing with Rapunzel and chatted with Nick about being a mermaid versus having legs. While the characters don’t meet in their pairs, they do dance around the restaurant together a bit but they will not pose for pictures as a couple.

We were at breakfast for so long that Flynn Rider made it back to our table! He was full of surprises and covertly showed us Rapunzel’s crown that he was holding “for safekeeping”.

We had a fantastic time at the Bon Voyage Adventure breakfast and I’m so glad that I was able to snag us those last-minute reservations. While it probably won’t be a must-do meal for us on every trip since character meals really add up with 6 Disney adults, I’d love to do it again sometime, maybe with just the girls! The food was fantastic and no one left hungry; in fact, we completely skipped lunch and waited to eat again until dinner because our breakfast was so filling. When you figure that one meal covered breakfast and lunch that day, it was totally worth the price!

I know people have lamented that it is the same price as some of the character meal buffets that are all you care to enjoy but I found the food to be much better quality and flavor than we’ve had at some buffets and really, no one left hungry. The server offered us more pastries and fruit so you could definitely fill up on that if you were still hungry. I also appreciate that your food is brought to the table and you don’t have to navigate a buffet with little kids, nor do you risk missing characters because people are up at the buffet. Every time we do a character buffet I spend just as much time calling kids back to the table for pictures as I do getting my food at the buffet, so it’s definitely not a leisurely meal. So long story short, I loved that everything came to the table and we could just enjoy being there!

After breakfast, we walked around the Boardwalk area to stretch our legs and decided that we’ll definitely need to plan a time to come back (just not in the summer when it’s hot!) and explore more. Ellie really wants to rent the surrey bikes since she’s small enough to sit in the front basket and the big kids want to come back for a treat from Ample Hills Creamery. We had samples of a few flavors but were so stuffed from breakfast that we didn’t order anything so it’s definitely on the Disney Bucket List! All in all, it was a great morning spent at the Boardwalk and trying out the Bon Voyage breakfast with a few of our fave characters.

Have you tried the Bon Voyage breakfast?? What’s your favorite WDW character meal??

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Jennifer February 15, 2019 Disney

Top Snacks at Walt Disney World

There are SO MANY amazing snacks at Walt Disney World and you could literally spend all day, every day of your trip snacking through the parks. With tons of snack options to choose from, and some even developing cult followings, it was difficult to narrow down our top Disney snacks to just one or two per park. We’ll have another post coming out soon with more of our favorites in each park, but for the purpose of this comprehensive look at Walt Disney World, we went with a max of two in each location giving us 11 of our favorite snacks throughout Walt Disney World.

In order to keep costs down and not fill up on sugary drinks (so we can eat more snacks, obviously!) we bring these filtering water bottles. Florida water can taste a little “different” and these water bottles do a great job minimizing the weird taste, ensuring that we stay hydrated in the Florida heat.

Magic Kingdom Snacks

While not technically a “snack” and not eligible as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan, the Loaded Buffalo Chicken Tots from The Friar’s Nook are definitely worth a stop. We included them as a snack because even though they’re quite filling, they’re easily splittable for an afternoon snack and at $9.49, splitting an order puts it firmly in “snack” pricing territory. The crispy tots are topped with buffalo chicken, blue cheese dressing and celery, making a spicy and delicious snack.

The Cheshire Cat Tail from the Cheshire Café is a more traditional snack, and eligible as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan. Located near the Mad Tea Party, Cheshire Café is a small location with a walk-up window and a very limited menu. Really, the only reason I can see stopping there is to get a Cheshire Cat Tail, and you ABSOLUTELY should stop! It’s a braided pastry with chocolate filling, pink and purple frosting drizzle, and chocolate chips. While it sounds totally basic, it’s really good. Like, realllllllly good! And at only $5.85, it’s another one of our favorite Disney snacks whether you’re on the dining plan or not.

EPCOT Snacks

The Schoolbread at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is one of our top picks in the World Showcase. We LOVE EPCOT dining options and snacking around the “World” is one of our favorite activities, but even if we don’t have time for a full World Showcase loop, we always make sure to stop in Norway for Schoolbread. At first glance, it’s just a toasted coconut covered roll, but this sweetbread pastry is filled with custard making it a sweet treat that’s not-too-sweet and Disney Dining Plan snack credit eligible.

Head to Kabuki Cafe in the Japan Pavillion for a great treat to beat the heat- Kakigori! This Japanese shaved ice can be topped with strawberry, melon, cherry, tangerine, blue raspberry or a rainbow of any three fruit syrups. This giant cup of shave ice is only $4 (and DDP snack credit eligible) but you should totally spring for the sweet milk topping for an extra buck.

Animal Kingdom Snacks

The Night Blossom from Pongu Pongu in Pandora is another great treat to beat the heat! We’ve always found Animal Kingdom to be the hottest park (least shade, lots of concrete, etc) so we’re always looking for something cold and refreshing. Enter the Night Blossom- it’s a frozen limeade with apple and desert pear flavors topped with passion fruit boba balls (you can order with or without the boba balls). This frozen, fruity concoction is $5.99 and counts as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.

For a more savory snack, we love Mr. Kamal’s Seasoned Fries from Mr. Kamal’s in Asia. The crispy fries are topped with tzatziki salad and drizzled with sriracha ketchup (you can get extra ketchup, too!) and are totally addictive. They’re $5.99 and count as one snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan, too. There are several shady tables near Mr. Kamal’s but watch out for the birds– they love the fries, too!

Hollywood Studios Snacks

So I have to be honest here, we haven’t spent much time in Hollywood Studios lately due to all of the construction so I’m not really up-to-date on the latest snacks there (though I’ve heard great things about Woody’s Lunchbox!). DHS has been a half-day park for our family, or we skip it altogether, but I’m assuming that will change once Star Wars Land is open. So for now, our go-to DHS snack is a Mickey Ice Cream Bar– they’re $5.75 or one snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.

Disney Resorts Snacks

Even though you can get a Dole Whip Float in the Magic Kingdom, we ALWAYS get it from the Pineapple Lanai at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (mainly so that we can enjoy other snacks in the park!). The dole whip float- pineapple and vanilla soft serve topped with pineapple juice- is a great treat to enjoy while relaxing at the Polynesian. We often stop by on an off-day from the parks just to get a dole whip and ride the monorail for some resort hopping fun.

Another favorite of ours, the Oreo Monorail Cupcake, can be found at the Contempo Café in Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Gourmet cupcakes are a huge thing at Disney Parks right now, and this is one of our favorites because of the white chocolate monorail. It’s a basic vanilla cupcake filled with cookies and cream frosting and topped with more of the same, but the white chocolate monorail really puts it over the top. This sweet treat is one snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan or $5.99.

Disney Springs Snacks

Ok, so this one isn’t technically a snack, but when you’re splitting it as a family of 7, it feels like a one and it’s a favorite for our crew. The Earthquake at Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in The Marketplace has 8 scoops of ice cream (you can choose the flavors), eight toppings, bananas, whipped cream, cherries, and sprinkles. It’s $42.95 but it easily feeds 6-8 people making the price per person much closer to that of a snack. And, they offer discounts for Annual Passholders, DVC Members and military so for our family, it’s actually cheaper than everyone getting their own snack elsewhere. . . and way more fun!

Last, but certainly not least, are the drinks with Latte Art from Tea Traders Café at The Landing. You pick any of their delicious lattes, mochas, or tea lattes, and for 50¢ extra, you can get it topped with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy or Pluto. It’s a fun little add-on to your afternoon pick-me-up and it makes for a great photo op!

Thanks so much for following along on our favorite snacks throughout Walt Disney World! There are so many to choose from and new ones coming out every week it seems, so there’s always something new to try.

What’s your fave WDW snack??

Jennifer December 12, 2018 Disney

Disney’s Wonderland Tea Party Review

As a special treat, since this was our first big WDW trip with the extended family, we booked the Wonderland Tea Party at 1900 Park Fare for all of the girls. The tea party, which takes place weekdays at 2pm at the Grand Floridian, was a huge hit and they didn’t want their fun to end. We left all of the boys at Disney Springs to shop and play pool at Splitsville while all the girls (Grandma, Auntie Janne, Lexie, Ellie, Hannah, and I) drove to the Grand Floridian.

We brought Ellie’s Belle dress for her to change into in the car and while she was excited to wear a princess dress, none of the other little girls were dressed up so it’s definitely not a requirement.

As soon as we were out of the car, Ellie wanted her picture taken with the fancy carriage that sits out front.

We arrived at check-in at around 13opm (they request that you’re there 15-30 minutes early to get checked in). The tea party is for kids 4-12 (all of the ones in attendance that day were girls, though it’s not a requirement) and they do have to be potty-trained since it’s a drop-off event. We signed the girls in, signed the waivers/consent forms allowing them to participate, made a quick stop at the bathroom, and then sent them in for some tea party fun!

The girls each got to decorate a teacup and a saucer with paint markers. I think they really appreciated it being parent free so they could decorate however they wanted!

Alice made her way around the table and signed each girl’s teapot as a fun keepsake.

And then she posed for pictures with each girl! There is a PhotoPass photographer at the event so even though parents are not allowed to stay and watch, they do get several hundred pictures and can see how much fun everyone had at the tea party. The PhotoPass photographer on this particular day did a phenomenal job at getting pictures of each and every child in a variety of poses- I don’t know if it’s the same photographer every time so your experience may vary.

The Mad Hatter was also in attendance and the girls thought he was hilarious– such a goofy guy!

They all sat down at the table to have their tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter.

And had fun decorating cupcakes– with their fingers, which is totally not something I would let them do at home, but completely added to the magic of the experience at the tea party!

Such a silly looking group of people!! The PhotoPass photographer took some posed pictures as well as the more candid shots giving us a great assortment at the end of the event.

While the girls enjoyed their tea, my mom, sister and I made our way upstairs to Minzer’s Lounge for an adult “tea party”. We each ordered The Grand Cocktail: Ketel One Citroen Vodka, Pomegranate Liqueur, Cranberry Juice, and Club Soda, and enjoyed the peace, quiet, and adult conversation while taking in the relaxing Grand Floridian environment.

After an hour, it was time to pick the girls up and they were full of stories about their fun time! In addition to their cup, saucer, and teapot, each girl got a small bouquet of flowers (they were so excited that the flowers were REAL!).

Ellie wanted to pose for pictures with her bouquet and the grand staircase at the Grand Floridian made the perfect backdrop!

Since she had the room, she also wanted to make sure that I took pictures of her twirling around in her Belle dress.

We moved down to the lobby of the Grand Floridian (and it is an absolutely breathtaking lobby!) so that the girls could dance to the beautiful piano music.

Princess dresses are made for twirling. I think she would twirl all day, every day if I let her!

The pianist played “Tale as Old as Time” just for Ellie and he looked so happy while she twirled to his music. I love the little ways that Disney Cast Members go out of their way to make your experience more magical and memorable.

Ellie and the pianist. He was so sweet with her and I’m sure that this experience is something that she’ll always remember- I know I will!

The girls all had a great time and would wholeheartedly recommend the tea party to others. It was such a fun activity to do on an off-day from the parks since we were still immersed in the Disney magic and got to explore the beautiful Grand Floridian Resort while we were there.

Things to Remember for the Wonderland Tea Party

It’s offered Monday-Friday from 2-3pm at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
Kids must be between 4-12 years old, and fully potty-trained to attend.
It is a drop-off event so parents will have about an hour to do something else during the event.
It’s $49 per person though discounts are available for Annual Passholders and DVC Members. When we went, the DVC discount was 40% off– that discount has since expired and it’s now 20% off.
The tea party was well-worth even the non-discounted price!!

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