WDW Daily News

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day, especially when on vacation.  I enjoy every meal when I am on vacation, but I must admit I enjoy breakfast the most.  I have my favorites at each Park, but my newest discovery is great for breakfast.  Animal Kingdom’s Pizzafari, located on Discovery Island as you enter the Park and head to the left toward Africa, is an excellent breakfast option.

Pizzafari is a quick service location.  There are four dining areas, each themed differently.  The walls are painted with brightly colored murals depicting different animal themes, camouflaged animals, animals that carry their homes, animals that prowl at night, and animals that live upside down.   The chairs and tables are painted to fit into the themed areas.  I recently had breakfast sitting on a large colorful insect!   It is a visual delight and there are many hidden Mickeys to be found, but the breakfast food is what I want to tell you about.

The menu is not overwhelming, and offers many varieties of breakfast options.  There is the Bounty Platter with eggs, bacon and sausage, breakfast potatoes, French toast sticks and a biscuit; the Breakfast Croissant, a toasted multigrain croissant with egg whites, spinach, provolone and vegetable chutney served with breakfast potatoes; a Breakfast Burrito with sausage, eggs, cheese and vegetables packed inside; Kid’s Breakfast Pizza and a Kids Breakfast Platter.  My husband and I have had the Bounty Platter and the Breakfast Burrito and found them to be plentiful, tasty and worth the price. There is enough on the Platter that I usually end up with my husband’s French toast sticks!  And since we usually ask for cups of water, we can eat for around $18.  I only wish there was salsa to go with the Burrito.

There is plenty of seating available.  There is a patio with outside seating in addition to the indoor themed rooms.  There are restrooms located inside too. The times we have visited, shortly after Park opening, there has been little waiting in line and we were able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading on Safari.  I am not sure how the crowds or the menu at lunch would be as we have not eaten there for lunch.  I do recommend stopping by there for breakfast, there’s something for everyone to eat and look at!

Two years ago I was not a runner. Not even close. I had just had my fourth baby. Okay “just” really means one year prior to that, but in mommy time that year goes fast! I looked at the photos from her practically perfect Alice in Wonderland themed first birthday party and realized that my “baby weight” had become “actual weight”. I did not like myself in those photos. I’ve struggled with weight my entire life, so I know how difficult it is to lose, and I knew I needed some real motivation.

For a huge Disney Parks fan, what was better motivation than dressing like a princess and running through Cinderella Castle? My best friend convinced me that it was possible to go from couch potato to finishing Disney’s Princess Half Marathon in 8 months. I bought a used jogging stroller, a Couch to 5K App for my phone and some new gear. I remember when after the third week, the App wanted me to run for 5 minutes without stopping. I just knew I could not do it. I was scared. I decided to do the prior week’s 3 minute run for a second week in a row because I was chicken. But the following week, somehow, I ran for those 5 minutes. The beginning was tough. Thinking about running for 5, 10 and even 20 minutes without a walk break was intimidating. But I had already signed up for my race, and I told everyone I was going to do it, so there was no backing out now. In fact, I convinced my equally out of shape mother to do the race with me. She admitted later that she thought it was 13 kilometers not 13 miles!

One of the reasons I love runDisney events, is that you don’t have to consider yourself a runner or be super speedy to have a successful race. For folks who may find a local half marathon intimidating, a runDisney event is welcoming to slower participants. For runDisney endurance events such as 10K’s and half marathons, participants must be able to maintain a 16 min/mile pace. With some training and effort, many people can maintain this pace with a fast walk or run-walk-run technique. Many people like my mom. Did I mention she is turning 67 this month? The middle and back of the pack of these events is full of fun loving folks in tutus and costumes having fun. If you feel like you don’t look like a runner, “Hakuna Matata,” because you’ll fit right in!

After two years with that used jogging stroller I have lost 40 lbs, and mom and I have completed three runDisney Half Marathons. We just returned from Disneyland’s Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend with not just our Tinker Bell Half Medals, but our 2015 Coast to Coast Challenge Medals. And if we can do it, YOU can do it!

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited about the future of Disney and television. There are so many good shows on ABC right now, DuckTales is getting a reboot, and there are talks of potential Star Wars and Marvel channels in the future?! Disney, you’re speaking to my soul! But, all of this thrilling talk of the future has me reflecting on past.

The DuckTales reboot announcement happened on my birthday, and it absolutely made my day. I loved DuckTales as a kid, and for years have been dreaming of an old school Disney Channel. My dream channel would include Goof Troop, DuckTales, TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, and Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, just to name a few. If Disney is considering Star Wars and Marvel channels, could my dream channel be somewhere in the making?! A girl can dream. Until then I’ll just dust off my old VHS tapes and hope they wear out anytime soon.

Are you excited about what’s coming to a TV near you? Tell me about what you’d like see on the Marvel and Star Wars channels and what your dream throw back station would include.

Let’s talk on twitter! Hit me up @hoodie_life