WDW Daily News

When most people visit Walt Disney World, they usually try to spend as much time as possible in the parks since a lot of money is spent on park tickets. However, if this isn’t your first time to WDW or you’re enjoying Disney for a longer period of time, it can be fun to explore some of the other entertainment Disney has to offer. Here are some of my favorite places out of the parks on Disney property.

1. The BoardWalk– Disney’s BoardWalk instantly transports you to the glitz and glamor of turn-of-the-century boardwalks like Coney Island and seaside towns in New England. There, you’ll find amazing food, fun entertainment, and beautiful scenery. During the daytime, a plethora of recreational activities are available for people of all ages- from renting a Surrey bike to setting out on the water on a rented boat. During later hours, older guests can experience the nightlife at Jellyroll’s and the Atlantic Dance Hall, while younger visitors and families will be amazed by live entertainers like jugglers and magicians at dusk and night. The BoardWalk is within walking distance of both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but you can also catch a Friendship boat both to and from both parks.

1. Downtown Disney– Downtown Disney is a massive shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. It is home to the world’s largest Disney store, World of Disney, along with forty other shops (and counting). If you are in the mood for some good grub, try one of Downtown Disney’s world-class restaurants. From dining in the jungle at Rainforest Cafe to enjoying fresh seafood from Fulton’s Crab House, there’s something for everyone at Downtown Disney. For entertainment, House of Blues offers live bands, while Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba features a stunning acrobatic circus that can only be seen in Walt Disney World. Downtown Disney is also a nice way to get away from the crowds at the parks to just stroll around and enjoy the scenery.

1. Disney Resorts– Although this may be more of an obvious choice, the Disney Resorts are so unique that it’s hard not to be amazed by them. The diversity that flows throughout the dozens of resorts is astounding. In a matter of minutes, you can travel to the savannas of Africa to the sandy shores of the Caribbean to the golden era of the Victorian age, and everything in-between. Whether you’re staying in a particular Disney resort or not, it can be fun to just explore what Disney has to offer with accommodations and the entertainment found at each respective resort. Many resorts also offer exclusive dining options that can’t be found anywhere else on property. All of the Disney resorts can be accessed from the complimentary bus service offered at all parks, and a few are found along the Monorail line that runs from the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom. Even if it’s just to sit in the lobby to take a breather, visiting the Disney resorts is an experience of its own.

The next time you’re visiting Walt Disney World, I hope you take the opportunity to explore everything the resort has to offer. There are so many options to continue the magic outside the parks, from mini-golf to water parks and more.

Even if you have been on countless trips to Walt Disney World, there are still probably some places that you have just not had the time to visit. This was the case for us, and since we have moved to Orlando, there are still places that we have not visited. Last summer, we discovered that we still hadn’t made a trip to the WDW water parks, and after some research, we decided to give Typhoon Lagoon a try, and we were not disappointed at all!

In order to give ourselves enough time, we decided to get to the park before it opened in the morning, and this turned out to be an excellent idea. We queued up at the entrance along with several other families. We did not know this at the time, but you can bring in ice chests with drinks and food as long as you do not bring in anything that is glass. We had a plan for entering the park. I would go and scout out a coveted shady seat, and my husband, Mark, was going to seek out a locker to rent. We wanted to put our dry clothes in a locker so that they would not get sandy or wet during our time at the park. When we entered the park, Mark went to retrieve the locker, and I headed over to the rope that was blocking the entrance to the lounge chair area. After a few minutes, the rope was dropped, and then everyone dashed for the chairs. We were lucky to find two chairs in the shade, and we set up our stuff, which included some extra towels and water. Then, we were off to ride some of the rides before the lines became too long later in the day. I am not a thrill ride kind of person, so we stuck to the raft rides and the family raft rides. These were fun, and I highly recommend that you ride them early before the line is too long. I would not have waited in a long line in the blazing sun on the hot wooden stairs for a one-minute raft ride. Don’t get me wrong; the ride was fun, but it would not have been worth a thirty-minute or longer wait.

After the raft rides, we settled into Castaway Creek, which is a lazy river that winds around the entire park. This was the highlight of the water park for me. It was so relaxing just to kick back and float around in the tube. There was so much shade and vegetation that you did not even feel too warm. As we floated around the park, we could catch a glimpse of some of the rides, and we could listen to the 1930s and 40s music that was being piped in. All in all, this attraction was my favorite!

Now, if you are adventurous, there are many more slides to ride, and we watched a few people splash down from them. There is also a Shark Reef where you can swim across a very cold 30-foot span of water to catch a glimpse of various fish. When you get in line, the cast members give you a snorkel and a pair of goggles that you can use as you slowly swim across the pool. This experience was not for me, so we did not try our luck with the fish. However, we did visit the underwater viewing tank where you could catch a glimpse of the fish as they swam along. That was close enough for me!

Before returning to the lazy river, we took a spin in the wave pool. I have never been in a wave pool before, and I was not adequately prepared for the strength of the waves that came at us. Even though I braced myself, I was sent careening over the concrete bottom of the pool, and I sustained some minor scrapes and cuts as a result. Word of warning: if you have little ones, stay in the very shallow section of this wave pool! Those waves are very strong, and they could easily pull a grown person several feet while under water. I can only imagine how that might scare a small child.

All in all, Typhoon Lagoon was fun and relaxing. I am not a thrill seeker, so I enjoyed floating around in the inner tube on Castaway Creek. If you would like to experience more slides and excitement, then Blizzard Beach might be for you. If you have time, give Typhoon Lagoon a try; it was a refreshing way to spend part of our last two days at WDW. Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

When I was younger when my family made our trips to Walt Disney World one of the things I thought was really cool was getting to order room service in our hotel. I thought it was the coolest thing having someone deliver our food right to our room, but because I loved that I basically missed out on all the really cool opportunities to eat in the actual park! Cut to 20 years later and now I’m finally starting to explore dining through out Walt Disney World! I made it my goal to try as many restaurants in the parks as humanly possible this year and so far I’m doing pretty good! In my last article I detailed my experiences at Be Our Guest for both breakfast and dinner, and this week I’ve tried another fun new dining location! This week I went to Tusker House for the first time and let me tell you it was an unforgettable experience!

If you’ve not had the opportunity to visit Tusker House, it is located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom park not far from the Harambe Theater where the Festival of the Lion King show plays. It’s pretty strategic of Disney to place that theater there because after you’re done eating at Tusker House you’re really only able to sit down and bask in the awesomeness that is the Festival of the Lion King, The cuisine featured at the restaurant is African themed, very similar to Boma if you’ve been there. It is buffet styled and of course the big draw is that it is character dining featuring Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Mickey Mouse. It was definitely one of my favorite character dining experiences I’ve had and the food was amazing!

Upon arrival you are seated at your table and your server comes to greet you offering you beverages. You must must MUST try the Jungle Juice! I’ve heard it’s similar to a drink served at Ohana’s, but is absolutely delicious. It’s a combination of several yummy fruit juices. You have the option of getting it iced, though my preference was minus the ice—I had 2 large glasses of it myself during the course of my meal and I would’ve happily taken it in a to go cup with me haha. After I was seated I headed straight for the buffet! There is a certalized dessert station in the middle, and then 7 main serving stations around the room. There is a station for carved meat, a bbq meat type section, a kids buffet, one offering two different curries, one offering fruit and salad options, one for things like hummus, and lastly one for bread options.

I personally went for both curry options, a little bit of fruit salad, naan bread, a few corn dog nuggets, and several other yummy things on my first round. I was determined to clear my plate that round and I certainly did. In between stuffing my face Goofy and Daisy Duck visited my table and they were an absolute delight to see. After I cleared my first plate, I went back for seconds on the curry and naan bread and then headed in for dessert! This is the point in the meal where my stomach started to protest anymore food….but I didn’t care because I was determined to try everything! Word to the wise- go easy on the jungle juice- less juice equals more space for real food and sweets. When I went back for round two I got more curry and basically every dessert offered, but when I sat back down I quickly realized…I had no space for anything and only nibbled at my second round of curry, and most of my desserts however everything I tried was DELICIOUS! Also while I was nibbling the number one mouse and the number one duck made their way round to my table as well!

I had an amazing time at Tusker House and I would recommend it to anyone! They have enough  options that everyone will be satisfied with the buffet, the characters are lovely, and if you like leaving feeling stuffed and sleepy you can’t go wrong! I’ve crossed Tusker House off my list….on to the next! I wonder where I’ll end up 😀

Did you know that there are still launches from the Cape Canaveral area?  Did you know you can see them from the Walt Disney World area?  You can even see them from the Gulf Coast at times!  Seeing a launch could be a fantastic addition to any vacation.  There are also locations where you can see launches up close.  Informational tours are also conducted at the Kennedy Space Center.

Cape Canaveral, which is about an hour east of Orlando, is home to The Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.   The Kennedy Space Center itself is midway through its transition from government-focused launch facility to multi-user spaceport.  It will be able to handle the needs of any future space exploration in addition to the ambitions of commercial companies.  You can learn all about that and more, even visit launch pads, on the many tours offered.  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) is part of the United States Air Force Space Command‘s 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. It is has three active launch pads.  Launches are scheduled from time to time.  Wouldn’t it be awesome to see one while on vacation?   Either up close and personal by traveling to the Space Coast area or by looking to the east when the launch goes to see if you can spot the rocket in the sky.

I have not seen a launch up close or from Disney property.  I have seen pictures on line from Guests that have.  I did see two recently from my back yard and I live about 25 minutes west of Disney property.  One was at night and one was in the afternoon.  Both were brief and spectacular.  Best viewing would be on a clear day or night both my sightings were cut short when the rocket went behind a cloud.  I am still glad I took the time to watch.

For tour information, launch schedules and places to watch check kennedyspacecenter.com or nasa.gov. For even more launch information check spaceline.org/launch.   You might be able to add some space magic to your next Florida visit.

Let’s face it, Walt Disney World is big, crowded, and contains lots of things designed to interest your kids. It’s the perfect recipe for someone to get distracted, and in just a few minutes you realize you are one kid short! First let me reassure you that kids do get lost at Walt Disney World frequently, many times a day in fact. But thankfully no child has ever gone missing from a Disney Park. But just in case you do temporarily misplace a child while at Disney, I have a few suggestions for you both before and during your vacation.

First, I recommend prepping your kids on what to do should they become separated from you. If you have a local Disney Store, take them to the store and introduce them to a Cast Member that works there. Be sure to point out their signature name tag. Make sure your kids know that all Cast Members at Disney wear a name tag of this same size and style, and if they get lost that they should find a Cast Member and ask for help.

I also recommend labeling your kids in a discreet but useful manner. While your child may be able to recite your cell phone number to his Kindergarten teacher, under the fear and pressure of being lost, it might be more difficult for them to remember or communicate that information. Cast Members are prohibited from looking inside or removing your child’s clothing, so don’t plan on writing the info inside the back of their shirt for example.

There are several good options out there to put the necessary info on your child. My current favorite is to use a “Road ID”. Since I am a runner, I wear one of these handy bracelets when I run. It contains my name, year of birth, two emergency numbers and my allergy information. It is basically a rubber bracelet with a metal tag that you personalize with the needed info. My children now also have these bracelets, and they are available in sizes from toddler to adult. Not only are they great for Disney, but also when you send your child on a field trip or to summer camp. I also like that they are small enough that a stranger could not read the info from a distance.

Another popular option is Safety Tat. This is a temporary tattoo (kids love these things) that you again personalize with your phone number. They last on average 1 to 3 days. In the past we have also made personalized necklaces or our kids, similar to military dog tags. We called them their “safety tags” and the boys wore them every day along with their pin lanyards. I have always felt more comfortable knowing that the kids would not have to remember my phone number if frightened.

If you do realize you have lost your child, do not panic. Take a deep breath and look around, as they are most likely in the area. If you do not see them right away, find a Cast Member and ask for help. They will immediately alert other Cast Members in the area to look for your child.

I do have personal experience with this. On our most recent trip, while I was ogling the beautiful Pandora beads at Uptown Jewelers my husband received a phone call. He looked at me and asked, “Where’s Conor?” We suddenly realized we had lost one of our 4 children! Just a few minutes before there had been a child’s balloon that floated to the ceiling in the Tomorrowland Terrace and my 7 year old thought he’d like to watch how they got it down. Meanwhile, the rest of us headed down Main Street, USA. Thankfully, my son had used his knowledge to find a nearby Cast Member and showed them his Road ID! Within minutes we were reunited, and the Cast Member was very complimentary of my son’s ID bracelet. I was super proud of my son for doing what he had been taught, and he didn’t even seem to mind that we had lost him! So go prepared, don’t panic and ask for help, and you’re sure to have a happy ending!

Epcot boasts amazing food, breathtaking attractions, and an incredible fireworks show, but did you know that the park also offers entertainment from all over the world? In fact, almost all of the eleven pavilions in the World Showcase present at least one form of entertainment respective of each country. From music to juggling to acrobatic stunts, you never know what you’re going to come across next while strolling around the World Showcase.

In Mexico, the sweet sounds of violins, guitars, trumpets can be heard throughout the pavilion from Mariachi Cobre, a traditional 12-piece mariachi band. Some songs are instrumental, while others are sung in Spanish. This band is truly a pleasure to listen to, and their music will make you want to get up on your feet and dance.

Over in China, you will be astounded by the talents of the Jeweled Dragon Acrobats. The feats this group accomplishes are absolutely breathtaking. Each performance includes flag-twirling, daring flips in the air, juggling, and more and lasts around twenty minutes. If you want to get a good view of the performers, I would recommend showing up around ten minutes before the scheduled start time since viewing space tends to fill up fast, especially during busier months.

Italy features two forms of entertainment: Sergio the Mime and Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro. Sergio, like most mimes, doesn’t speak, but he is able to communicate and excite the audience with his whistle, which can be heard from a few pavilions away. With the help of some younger audience members, he catches soccer balls in a net from various distances and juggles up to five balls at once. No matter what kind of mood you’re in, Sergio’s silly antics will put a smile on anyone’s face. While you’re in Italy, you can also enjoy watching Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro, a newer group of Italian flag throwers. Accompanied by live trumpet music, this group will dazzle you with their ability to juggle and throw flags in the air. My favorite part of the performance was a solo by the lead performer in which he juggled a flag entirely with his feet. At the end of the show, there’s also an opportunity to take a picture with the group and chat with them, which was a nice touch.

Over in The American Adventure, you can find my favorite entertainment in the World Showcase- the Voices of Liberty. This group of a cappella singers clad in traditional 1800s clothing could actually be mistaken for a choir of angels as they sing Americana songs like “Oh Susanna” and “America the Beautiful” and sometimes popular Disney music such as “Let it Go.” Each performance lasts 15 minutes and is usually before the showing of The American Adventure featuring Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. The Voices of Liberty always bring a tear to my eye, and it’s a must-do to watch them on every trip.

In the France pavilion, you can hold your breath in anticipation as two waiters perform balancing stunts as Serveur Amusant. With the aid of chairs and some oversized champagne bottles, one-half of the duo ends up balancing on the top of five chairs stacked on top of each other. As the name suggests, there is also some humor thrown in to keep the act light-hearted and entertaining, but I wouldn’t blame you if you ended up biting your nails as the stack of chairs gets higher and higher.

Next, in the United Kingdom, you can hear covers of songs originally sung by British artists like the Beatles, Billy Idol, and the Police performed by a band called British Revolution. The four-piece band features a lead singer, drummer, and two guitarists and easily gets the crowd singing along. At the end of the performance, there’s a chance to get signatures and pictures from the band, who are friendly and fun to talk to.

Kilimanjaro Safari is the anchor attraction for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This twenty minute safari trip through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve is one of the hallmarks of the Animal Kingdom because it does what the park is meant to do: put animals center stage. These animals are real; they are living, breathing examples of different species from parts of Africa. This safari was an opening day attraction in 1998 when the Animal Kingdom first started welcoming guests, and the ride is never the same, which definitely increases re-ride ability.
In the past few years, the safari has seen many changes. The Little Red Audio-Animatronic was removed from the ride’s finale in preparation for a new animal habitat. It is always interesting to learn about how attractions change over the years. Walt never wanted his parks to be unchanging; he believed that he could keep adding to them in order to keep them fresh for new visitors. Now, truly to understand the evolution of this particular ride, one must re-visit its past.

The safari did not always have the same storyline that it most recently possesses. In the very beginning, this ride actually featured a more prominent anti-poaching message to its riders. Warden Wilson Matua and his research assistant, Ms. Jobson, had much more pronounced roles in this version of the safari as well. Wilson and Ms. Jobson were on a plane flying over the Reserve, and they would often talk to you via the castmember’s radio device as you journeyed in your safari vehicle. As you continued your exploration and viewing of various animals, Wilson would get increasingly more concerned about poaching on the Reserve. As ready and willing members of the Safari team, you, the riders, were encouraged to help Wilson hunt down the poachers. In the initial cast previews and test/adjust time period for the ride, a giant carcass of a slaughtered Big Red (the mother elephant) could be viewed in the tall grass near a busted gate into the Reserve. Big Red was missing her tusks, and this could be attributed to poaching. This figure was soon removed due to the many complaints received at guest relations.

After rushing through the broken gate, your truck moved quite roughly as you encountered the uneven terrain and the small geysers in the area. You were even chased by a jeep that fired shots at your safari vehicle. In the end, Little Red was saved, and a cast member standing next to Little Red informed you that all was well.

Over the years, this storyline has been continually tweaked in order to make the Little Red story change and eventually evaporate all together from the plot of the ride. Most recently, Little Red played a part in the story, but it was an exceedingly small part, which involved her placement at the end of the ride and a quick pass from the safari vehicle through the poachers’ camp. The cast member at the end of the ride near Little Red’s escape vehicle is now also absent.

In the past few years, Little Red has been totally removed from the ride. It has been interesting to see how this attraction has changed so much over the years. The message of conservation is still evident and so is the anti-poaching message; however I miss the excitement of racing through the finale of the ride in order to nab those poachers. I also miss the Little Red animatronic as well as the presence of everyone’s favorite Warden Matua.

In the upcoming years, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will continue to grow and change with the addition of Pandora. I can’t wait to see how this area of the park is enhanced and how it adds to the overall message of the Animal Kingdom. I am nervous to see how the public receives these new characters because of all of the controversy on the addition of Avatar. In the end, I am adopting a “wait and see” attitude because I know that WDI will do their best to create a truly immersive land that will add much needed attractions to Animal Kingdom. Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Heres how it goes: I am talking with an acquaintance and the conversation turns to Walt Disney World (which it almost always does with me). I then casually mention that I have traveled to WDW solo on a few occasions and love it! Now a very strange look comes over my conversational partner’s face; eyebrows pull together, her eyes shift around uncomfortably, and she slowly begins back away. Ok…. maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but I have received some not-so-warm-and-fuzzy responses when I share that I have traveled to Walt Disney World without my family in the past and plan to continue to do so in the future. It seems to be difficult for non-Disney fanatics to understand why a grown woman, one with children no less, would want to go the Most Magical Place On Earth by herself. Even though many might find my love of traveling the World solo a little on the nutty side, I think that the plusses far outweigh the minuses for this type of WDW vacationing.

The most overriding reason that I love traveling to Walt Disney World solo is that I get to do WHATEVER I WANT. If I want to wake up before the sun to be the first to arrive at a park, so be it. If I want to stay at the Magic Kingdom until 2 AM then turn around and be there for rope drop the next morning, there are no cranky kids to stop me! So what if by the end of my trip I am catatonic?? There have been times when I can’t even remember how I got back to my resort at night because of sheer exhaustion, but I surely don’t care. Do I want to hit all 4 parks in one day? Yes, indeed, I do, and there is nothing but my own sore feet to stop me. How about spending a day in a park without riding ANY attractions? This would be heresy to my children! I, however, have had some of my most memorable Disney moments doing just this. I have met a variety of interesting people sitting on a curb for an hour waiting for a parade, which is something my family just would not do. Photographing Walt Disney World is a true passion of mine, and without my family along I can snap away to my heart’s content. When I take my 2,000th picture of Cinderella Castle or stop to take a photo of a street grate on Main Street, U.S.A. There is no one there to groan and fall to the ground in protest. Without my family, I find that I can either go,go,go or slow down to a snail’s pace without any complaints from the peanut gallery.

Cost is another great positive to traveling the World solo. Think of how much cheaper it is with only 1 ticket (which for me is an annual pass), 1 airfare, and single meals each day. Since I am definitely the biggest Disney fan in my family, traveling solo has allowed me to get in more trips per year for the same amount of money as 1 larger family trip. I have been able to indulge in some amazing tours because I only had to pay for myself and “peeking behind the curtain” in this way is always the highlight of my trips! Dining is also easier with only 1 mouth to worry about. I can eat when I want and skip meals at will- no way my family would tolerate that! If I want to have a nutella and fruit waffle sandwich at 11:00 PM as my dinner, so be it. I have eaten table service as a solo traveler, but prefer to just stick with counter service. This way I get back to enjoying the parks and keep the food costs lower, and since I am a frequent visitor, I do not feel that I am missing out on anything.

Traveling solo to WDW can also save you precious time. When you are touring the parks by yourself, it is significantly easier to sneak between strollers and ECVs without being struck. It is far less obvious when you shimmy through the crowd to be near the exit door before loading onto the Haunted Mansion. Don’t forget those single rider lines! They are a fantastic way to minimize waits in each of the parks. Being solo in the World can definitely reduce wait times and make navigating large crowds easier.

Don’t get me wrong- I adore traveling with my family to Walt Disney World. Hearing my daughters’ squeals of excitement on a thrill ride or seeing pure joy in their eyes as they watch the sky come to life during Wishes is priceless. WDW is truly a family place. It just so happens that life doesn’t always make it possible for us all to get to WDW together as often as I would like. I feel blessed that I have been able to experience my favorite destination in the world both with and without my family. I was a touch nervous on my first solo trip, but the butterflies melted away as soon as I walked under that train station. Although I miss my family when they are not with me, I have definitely found great joy in traveling the World solo.

Have you ever considered a solo trip? Give it a try! It is a unique change of pace for any avid Disney fan. I am certain you will find great joy in experiencing Walt Disney World in a whole new way.

Every now and again you get a very special invitation to dinner that is so completely unexpected you don’t know what to do with yourself. That happened to me this week. Okay to be fair I sort of invited myself for dinner….but still it was a very unexpected dining experience. I managed to get the coveted Be Our Guest dinner reservation…3 days before I went! If you know anything about Be Our Guest the first thing you know is that even 180 days out it’s almost next to impossible to get a dinner reservation so I was very surprised the opening was available, but I snatched it up quick! I didn’t think I could get any luckier than scoring an evening with The Beast, but I got a breakfast reservation for Be Our Guest the very next day! I guess the dining reservation gods were on my side this week, because I got to have two amazing experiences.

I had been lucky enough to dine with the Beast two years ago, so I was long over due to visit again. Not much had changed, but there were a few changes that I didn’t know about. When you arrive now you check in before you hit the bridge. You are given a pager that goes off when they are ready for you. I really liked that because it allowed me to wander around and take a few photos before I went inside. I was seated about 10 minutes after my reservation time and the host kindly summoned me by letting me know “The Master” was ready to receive me. I love the little details, so I was very happy to hear that. I jumped up and headed inside. There are three main dining areas, The West Wing, The Music Box Room, and of course the grand ballroom. I was seated in the main ballroom which is my favorite of the three. Sitting under the big chandeliers that Belle and the Beast danced under is just the most magical thing in the world. Additionally when you look out the window you’ll see a soft and gently snow fall. Yes folks, I said snow; Disney makes it snow in Florida in the spring- talk about magic!

But enough about the atmosphere, lets talk about FOOD! The menu at Be Our Guest is delicious! I opted to try all three courses this round and I decided to be brave. On my last trip I honestly don’t remember what my appetizer was but this time around I decided to try out the French Onion Soup. It’s their signature appetizer and one of the more popular things on the menu. For me personally it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I know a lot of people like it so don’t let me put you off trying it. The flavor was delicious I didn’t care for the texture of the onions though. For my main dish I had the grilled strip steak. I’ve tried steaks all over the WDW resort and for me this steak had the BEST flavor. I was so excited to be reunited with it and it didn’t disappoint. It was delicious as per usual. And I personally love they serve it with fries and those are delicious too.  For my dessert of course I had the Grey stuff! When I went the last time the Grey stuff was only something that was served for special occasions, but the powers that be realized that the grey stuff needed to be available all the time and thus the Grey stuff brownie was born. It is DELICIOUS!!! I don’t know how to describe the grey stuff other than….it’s delicious and I didn’t even have to ask to dishes to find that out. Another fun fact about Be Our Guest is you are able to partake of beer and wine if you’re of age and that’s your thing. Everyone I saw that was sampling seemed to be enjoying their beverages as well. It is the only location in the Magic Kingdom that serves alcohol- so fun fact there.

At the end of dinner you have the opportunity to meet the beast which for me is the best part! I’m fairly certain the Beast is the reason dinner reservations are so difficult to acquire. The Beast doesn’t have any other meet and greet location, so Be Our Guest is the only place you get to see him. As a heads up he has been working on his temper and his manners were spot on. He was lovely to meet, and if you’re lucky you might even get to a do a little waltz with him. My evening with the Beast was amazing, but I scurried home because the next morning I had a breakfast date with him. I returned bright and early for breakfast the next day! The Be Our Guest breakfast offering only started about a week and half ago.  I didn’t have any expectations going into it, but I was very impressed with what was included!

When you arrive they scan your magic band or ticket to confirm your reservation and hand you a menu. You head through the room with the sleeping knights and head through to a kiosk. I didn’t have my magic band yesterday so I was given a rose to take with me. You are able to place your order and then you find a seat. I again sat in the ballroom because it’s my absolute favorite 😀 Remember that rose I was telling you about? Well that is how they find where you are sitting. Every person’s meal is brought to their table with the help of either your rose or your magic band. I find it absolutely fascinating that Disney has made it possible to let you choose your seat and still have the ability to find you anywhere in the dining room! I believe this is the same service they use at lunch, but I haven’t been able to visit for lunch yet, I’ll update you when that happens 😉

So with this meal again I decided to be brave and try something I’d never had before! There wasn’t a single thing on the menu that didn’t sound delicious but I had never tried poached eggs so I decided to get the open faced bacon sandwich featured poached eggs. I got an orange juice along with it. When it arrived it came with a fruit cup which was DELICIOUS!!! And each table gets a whole tray of pastries. Since I was a party of one I didn’t have to share my pastries and I sampled every single one. They were all delicious but I like the chocolate chip croissant the best of all of them. But I  was a good kid and decided to eat my “real food” first. It was delicious! Not only did I learn I really enjoy poached eggs, but the sandwich was so delicious! It comes with applewood bacon, brie cheese, spinach, tomato all on a French baguette. It was so delicious, I’m just drooling thinking about it. The next table over got the chocolate sauce covered cronut with bananas….I wish I could’ve gotten that too, but perhaps and excuse to go back again.

Every single thing I had for breakfast was absolutely delicious and I would definitely recommend it to anyone. It was a really nice way to start off the morning in the Magic Kingdom and it definitely made my day a little more magical all round. My two meals in the Beast’s castle were just perfect. Thank you Beast, your service and staff were phenomenal, until we meet again sir

Hmmm…which is my favorite?  Visiting Walt Disney World or photographing the magic?  That’s a hard question to answer.  I know many of you love taking photographs at Disney World, whether it’s of family and friends or the wonders you find in Walt Disney World itself.  Each time I go, I look for new and unique viewpoints to photograph my Disney memories from.

I’m pretty sure the most photographed Disney icon must be Cinderella Castle, and I bet you all have a shot of the Castle down Main St.  Have you tried getting a reflection shot in the waterways surrounding the Castle from Frontierland or Tomorrowland?  These are especially beautiful at night when Cinderella Castle is lit up in all her magic.  Climb Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, and you’ll also find some unique vantage points for great shots.  If you’re feeling brave, let go of the handrails, and click off a few shots on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. (Make sure to hang on to your camera for dear life).

While I love Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom has become my new favorite park for all the photographic opportunities available.  While some think of this park as a half day park, I can always stay here all day just taking photographs of the wide variety of wildlife.  If your favorite ride is Expedition Everest, take some time for lunch at my favorite Quick Service Restaurant, Flame Tree BBQ.  If you grab a seat in a gazebo down by the water, this is a great place for getting shots of Expedition Everest.  You’ll also likely get some good bird photos as the birds have discovered Flame Tree’s good food as well.

My favorite of all rides is in EPCOT.  I just love Test Track!!  Test Track also offers some good photo opportunities for the quick and the brave.  Get ready because, just before the doors open for the launch outside, this ride gives you just a few seconds to prepare your camera.  Set your shutter speed high and get ready to start clicking when those doors open.  Make sure to hang on tight to your camera.  At 64 mph, letting go of it would surely end badly.  Another favorite photo spot for me is in the International Gateway area, and along the bridge to France.   With all the beautiful and unique architecture in EPCOT, there’s certainly no lack of photography subjects.

Last, but not certainly not least, is Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  My favorite time of year to photograph DHS, is during the Christmas season when the park is decorated with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights.  What an amazing time to take photos!  (and videos, too).   This year will be my first without photos of the Sorcerer Mickey Hat.  I’ll miss the the Hat.  Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt show is a great place to get off your feet, and test your skills with action shots.   How about grabbing shots of screaming guests as the doors to Tower of Terror swing open and shut?

While photographing your Walt Disney World Memories, don’t forget to include yourself.  Sometimes, us photographers are so busy snapping pics of everyone else, that there are no pictures of us for our families to enjoy.  Remember to snap a selfie sometimes, or take advantage of the many PhotoPass Photographers around the Disney Parks.

Until next time, Happy Snapping.