Animal Kingdom Penthouse

Posted by Jul 10, 2016 Disney Resort, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , , , 237 Comments
Animal Kingdom Penthouse

One of the coolest experiences I ever had at Walt Disney World was when my family got upgraded from a one-bedroom suite at Animal Kingdom’s Kidani Village to the two-story, three-bedroom penthouse with two living rooms, a dining room, a kitchen and four bathrooms. I wouldn’t even call it a hotel room. It was bigger than my house. And let’s not forget about the view. I think we saw more animals from our three balconies at Kidani Village than we did at Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom. Want a peek at what the penthouse at Animal Kingdom’s Kidani Village looks like? Check out these photos.

Animal Kingdom Living Room

This is the living room on the first floor. You can see the dining area and kitchen in the background as well.

Animal Kingdom room

Here is one of the three bedrooms. I wish I took more photos so you could see all the beautiful details, but of course at the time I didn’t know I was going to have a Disney blog, haha.

Animal Kingdom Kidani Village

While my mom relaxed, I couldn’t stop checking out the view.

Animal Kingdom view

And this is why. Look at all those zebras and giraffes! They fed the animals right outside our window.

Animal Kingdom balcony

My brother, husband and I were all so excited about our upgrade.

Animal Kingdom breakfast

We had enough space for eight of us. In the morning, we had room service delivered, and it was actually really reasonable and not expensive at all. I think it wound up being around $15 each, including tons of food, juice and coffee, all served by a private butler who set the table and made extra pots of coffee in the kitchen. She was really great and super friendly.

Animal Kingdom dining room

Animal Kingdom kitchen

Check out some more photos from our three-bedroom villa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village.

Animal Kingdom bathroom

This is one of the four full bathrooms.

Animal Kingdom staircase

Here’s the staircase to the second floor.

Animal Kingdom landing

When you walked up the stairs, this was the landing.

Animal Kingdom couch

View of the living room from the second floor.

Afrique

One of the beautiful pieces of art.

Animal Kingdom Lodge view

Animal Kingdom chair

View from Animal Kingdom Penthouse

Happiest 4th of July on Earth

Posted by Jul 5, 2016 Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , 13 Comments
Happiest 4th of July on Earth

I love going to Disney World pretty much any day of the year, but it is a little extra special to go on a holiday. Here are some photos from my trip to Disney for the 4th of July. It was pretty crowded and really hot, but I love seeing all the patriotic décor around Magic Kingdom.

4th of july tinkerbell

Where else would you expect me to be on the 4th of July? Ha! Check out my patriotic outfit: blue tank top with white stars, red shorts and Magic Band. And I know you can’t tell in this picture, but my blue Mickey ears actually light up like fireworks — get it?! I’m such a nerd. 😛


Of course I had to get a red, white and blue snack too. As much as I love the Nutella waffles from Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom, I’m not sure it was the best choice to have a hot treat on such a hot day. I would, however, highly recommend it in the fall or winter. It’s amazingly delicious.

Ice cream probably would have been a better choice. Can’t go wrong with the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor!


How freaking cute is Cinderalla’s carriage? And the Independence Day sign was a nice touch!


It was so hot that I couldn’t stay the whole day, just for the morning. But it was still worth it! Going to Disney for a few hours is better than not going to Disney at all. That’s my motto.

God bless America (and Disney World)!

Happy Stitch Day!

Posted by Jun 26, 2016 Characters, Disney Tips, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , 6 Comments
Happy Stitch Day!

In honor of Experiment 626, June 26 (6/26) is officially Stitch Day. To celebrate Stitch Day, here are some of my favorite photos with everyone’s favorite alien and Lilo’s best friend.

#liloandstitch #disneybound #ohana #hollywoodstudios #Disney #aloha #Lilo #disneybounding

A photo posted by Disney Desi (@disney.desi) on

The Best All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants at Walt Disney World

Posted by Jun 25, 2016 Disney Dining, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , 139 Comments
The Best All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants at Walt Disney World

For Meat Lovers: Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Ohana is actually my favorite all-you-can-eat restaurant at Walt Disney World. First, I absolutely love Hawaii and everything Hawaiian-themed, so obviously I’m going to love any restaurant at the Polynesian Resort. But it’s the food that’s really got me. Even though it’s Hawaiian-themed, I would still consider it more of a Brazilian steakhouse for dinner. As they bring you to your table, they pick up some pineapple-coconut bread so you can start eating as soon as you sit down.  Then they bring out a salad, dumplings and wings. While all of this food is delicious, pace yourself. The real star of the show is the meat. I suggest just a little taste of each of the appetizers (e.g., try to limit yourself to only one wing and one dumpling). I know it’s hard, but believe me, holding out is worth it. After trying to fill you up on the cheap stuff, the waiters will begin to bring around different meats on skewers and slide off as much or as little as you like. The options are chicken, shrimp and steak. The chicken and shrimp are great, but the steak is amazing. The steak alone would be enough to make this my favorite all-you-can-eat restaurant in Disney World.

For Seafood: Cape May Café at Disney’s Beach Club

Cape May Café is my mom’s favorite restaurant at Disney World. If you’re a seafood fan, this is the restaurant you want to go to. Fill up on buckets of clams, shrimp, mussels, crab legs and more. When I say buckets, I literally mean buckets. They have buckets there at the buffet for you to fill. And don’t worry if you’re traveling with land lovers. They also have a strip loin carving station and chicken available.

For Atmosphere: Biergarten at the Germany Pavilion in Epcot

Get the Oktoberfest experience without buying a flight to Munich. My husband (who is part German) absolutely loves the Germany Pavilion at Epcot because of the fun atmosphere and also because of the all-you-can-eat buffet full of German food. Enjoy a live German band while you load your plate with brats, schnitzel and other German specialties. Be sure to show off your moves during the “chicken dance” while you’re there.

For Little Ones: Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom

I wouldn’t really consider the menu at the Crystal Palace as the best that Disney has to offer unless you’re a picky eater. In that case, it has plenty to offer for those who have a plain palate. Obviously, little kids typically fall under this umbrella, so it’s a good choice for parents with picky eaters. Plus, the Hundred Acre Wood Gang is all there. Your little ones will love meeting Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Tigger while they enjoy all of their favorite foods—pizza, mac and cheese, chicken tenders, etc.

For Something Unique: Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge

My brother’s favorite buffet at Disney World is Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge, and it’s definitely at the top of my list as well. Unlike the Crystal Palace, I wouldn’t recommend it for picky eaters. However, if you’re more of the adventurous type, Boma is perfect for you. I think the food here is among the best at all of Disney World. My favorite dish is the bobotie. It’s kind of like an African version of shepherd’s pie, and it’s delicious. I also highly recommend any of the soups. The flavors of all the dishes at Boma are amazing, and I definitely suggest you add it to your dining plans while at Disney World.

The Best Places to Meet Mickey Mouse

Posted by Jun 21, 2016 Characters, Disney Tips, Rides and Attractions, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , 102 Comments
The Best Places to Meet Mickey Mouse

If you’re only going to meet one character during your trip to Walt Disney World, it obviously has to be Mickey Mouse. He’s available for meet-and-greets at all four theme parks; however, not all meet-and-greets are created equally. Here’s a breakdown of the best places to meet everyone’s favorite mouse.

1. Magic Kingdom

So why is Magic Kingdom at the top of this list? It’s not just because you’re meeting Mickey in the happiest place on earth. It’s because…he talks. Yes, you read that correctly. Mickey Mouse talks when you visit him in Magic Kingdom. I honestly have no clue how this works, but it really freaked me out the first time, so I want you to be prepared. One time, the family in front of me told him they were from Mexico. “Oh, you’re from Mexico? ¡Hola!” And then when they were taking a photo, he said, “Say, ‘queso’!” And when I brought a friend’s two-year-old niece who was a little scared, he suggested that they act like choo-choo trains and marched along all over the room, yelling, “Chugga, chugga, choo choo!” Everything he says is in the Mickey Mouse voice, and his mouth moves in sync, and he blinks. It’s really wild to see. A very interactive experience!

MK_TSTHEATERBCHAR_7541894644

2. Animal Kingdom

I actually flirted with the idea of making Animal Kingdom the best place to meet Mickey only because this is the only place where you can actually meet Mickey and Minnie at the same time and see them interact together with you. Being able to see Mickey and Minnie together and get a photo with both of them at once is almost unheard of at the other parks, which is why Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite places to meet Mickey. Also, the line seems to move the fastest, and you’re in air conditioning the whole time. All plusses in my book.

Mickey and Minnie at Animal Kingdom

3. Epcot

There’s nothing wrong with meeting Mickey at Epcot; it’s just not at the top of my list because Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom’s meet and greets are just that awesome. There’s nothing that really stands out about meeting Mickey at Epcot other than the fact you can knock out seeing several characters at once (i.e., you’ll see Minnie and Goofy there too). However, unlike Animal Kingdom, you can’t get your photo with all of these characters at the same time. While they are in the same room, you can only have your photo taken with one at a time. There is a tiny chance you might see the characters interact with each other though. This is also the only place you’ll see Mickey and the gang in their “normal” clothes (e.g., Minnie is in her red dress with white polka dots).

PhotoPass_Visiting_EPCOT_7513829015

4. Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios is my least favorite place to meet Mickey. The biggest reason is because the line to meet him is outside. While it’s covered so you’re at least in the shade, there’s really no getting away from the Florida heat and humidity. While you can meet Minnie at the same time, she’s in the first room, and then you have to walk to another room to meet Mickey. That makes for a nearly impossible chance to see them interact with each other. This also seems to be the slowest moving line. However, I really do love Mickey’s outfit and his room setup at Hollywood Studios.

How a Disney Gold Pass Pays for Itself in One Day

Posted by Jun 12, 2016 Disney on a Dime, Disney Tips, Gold Pass Perks, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , , 458 Comments
How a Disney Gold Pass Pays for Itself in One Day

There are many options for getting passes to Walt Disney World, so how do you know which one is the best and most economical for you? I’m here to tell you how my Disney World Gold Pass paid for itself in only one day.

1. Buy a Three- or Four-Day Pass First

My husband and I bought four-day Florida Resident passes to Walt Disney World in July of 2015. On the fourth day of that pass, we decided to upgrade to annual passes. The great thing about this is that we didn’t have to pay the full price of the annual pass — we just had to pay the difference in cost. Even better? The day we bought the annual pass is the day the pass started; it didn’t start on the day we originally bought the four-day passes. That means we actually got about three months added to our annual pass for free (between July and October). That alone was a savings of about $200/each.

2. Photo Package Included

Ironically, we bought our annual passes on October 3, which was the last day of the old pricing. The very next day, October 4, Disney changed their pricing structure. When I found out that the new Gold Pass included all of my Photo Pass photos for free, I knew I had to upgrade. In addition to being a blogger, I also happen to be a professional photographer, and it’s always frustrating to take perfect photos of everyone else and not get any really good ones of me because nobody else I’m traveling with knows how to use a camera. So it was a no-brainer to spend the $21 for me to upgrade from the old annual pass to the new Gold Pass. There was no need to upgrade my husband’s band because as long as I could get photos on my account, why spend the extra money to upgrade his? Plus, all of the photos we had taken since our original trip in July were included as well!

You want a vacation full of professional photos? A Disney PhotoPass will cost you $149 (if purchased at least 3 days in advance) to $169. It’s included for free in the new Gold Pass. This alone is a huge savings. The Gold Pass photo package gives you an entire year full of beautiful photos. Your typical Disney PhotoPass will only give you the length of one trip before you have to buy another package. If you go to Disney once a month, you used to have to pay for the photo package separately each time. Now, it lasts all year. That’s a savings of anywhere from $149 for one day to $2028 for a year of photos. The savings for one day alone pretty much covers the difference between the Silver Pass and the Gold Pass. Plus, you get a lot fewer blackout dates. Totally worth it.

Here’s another secret. You have friends who are going to Disney World? Even if you aren’t going with them, add them as friends on the MyDisneyExperience app. You’ll be able to download their photos for free as well. So not only are you saving money for yourself, you’re saving money for your friends. You’re so generous! If you’re lucky, they might even buy you a Dole Whip for your trouble. 😉

3. Hotel Room Discounts

My husband and I got married in Hawaii, and we were lucky enough to go to Disney’s Aulani. (Yes, it lives up to the hype.) So when our one-year wedding anniversary rolled around, I wanted to go to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. I figured it’s the closest thing to going back to Hawaii and reliving our wedding without actually having to buy plane tickets back out there. (So I guess you could say that’s a savings of another $2,000 — ha!)

One night with a theme park view at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for the night of our anniversary is about $722. With the Disney Annual Passholder discount (this applies to all annual passes, not just the Gold one), our price was more like $400 — a savings of more than $300!

4. Free Parking and Discounts on Food & Merchandise

Just parking before you even get into any of the Walt Disney World theme parks is going to cost you $20/car, but it’s included with any of the annual passes (excluding water park passes). If we’re going with a large group of friends and/or family who don’t have annual passes and we can’t all fit in one car, my husband will take one car, and I’ll go in the other. That way, both cars get in for free.

Plus, the annual passes include discounts at all the gift shops on property and most sit-down dining options. Make sure you tell the cashier or the server that you’re an Annual Passholder and show your pass (I don’t think just scanning the Magic Band works for the discount yet) because the discount isn’t automatically applied. Warning: Not all restaurants accept the discount, so make sure ahead of time you know if the one you want to go to takes the discount.

5. Only One Person Needs a Gold Pass

With all these discounts I already mentioned, you only need one person in your family or circle of friends to actually own a Gold Pass. Everyone else can get one-day passes. Let’s say you have a family of four, and, for the sake of keeping things easy, you’re all at least 10 years old. If you’re only going for one day and only go to one park, that can be anywhere from $97/each during the low season to $124/each at Magic Kingdom during the peak season. For one night at a deluxe resort, that’s about $700. You want all the photos the professional photographers take while you’re on vacation? That’s another  $149 to $169. So for a family of four to spend only one day at Magic Kingdom during peak season, you’re looking at $1,365. If only one of you gets the Gold Pass for $549, that $700 hotel room goes down to about $400, and the cost of the photo pass goes away. That takes the total of your trip down to $1321 — a savings of $44. Maybe that doesn’t seem like a lot, but consider that you also get discounts on merchandise at gift shops and on food at restaurants, the savings start to add up. Not to mention, Gold Pass members get free parking, so that’s another $20 of savings. Plus, at least one of you can keep going to Disney over and over again for the next year.

Bonus: Minimal Blackout Dates

My favorite part of the Gold Pass is the free PhotoPass downloads, but the next best part is that the only blackout dates are the two weeks around Christmas and the two weeks around Easter. With the Silver Pass, you pretty much can’t go for half the year. A lot of the spring is blocked out. Forget summer and Christmastime completely. The two weeks around Christmas and the two weeks around Easter are the worst times to go anyway because they are the busiest. My family went to Magic Kingdom once on Christmas, and it was like you couldn’t walk down Main Street at all. My best recommendation is to go after Thanksgiving but before Christmas. The crowds are among the lightest of the year because everyone is saving money for the holidays, and you still get to see all the beautiful holiday decorations.

What to Wear to Walt Disney World

Posted by Jun 12, 2016 Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , 1,276 Comments
What to Wear to Walt Disney World

Sure, anyone can tell you to wear comfortable shoes and to dress for the weather (e.g., the hot Florida sun or afternoon showers), but let’s face it. When you’re at Disney World, you’re probably going to take photos that you’ll want to look at for years to come, so you shouldn’t dress like a slob.

Did you know that while kids are allowed to dress up, people age 14 and older are not allowed in the parks if they are in costume? While you may not be able to dress up in a costume, there are still ways you can capture the essence of a character without actually dressing as that character. My best suggestion is to think of that character’s color palette and accessories. For example, Snow White dresses in blue and has a red bow in her hair. Plus, she poses like this:

SnowWhite

Notice that my fingernails are also yellow, like Snow White’s skirt. See? You can dress up at Disney without literally dressing in costume. However, I wouldn’t recommend wearing a blazer all day in the middle of summer at Disney World.

Here’s an example of me channeling my inner Princess Jasmine. Jasmine wears all blue and is (I think) the only princess who wears pants. She also has a blue headband and fabulous gold earrings and necklace. Bonus points if you pose in front of your character’s ride.

Princess Jasmine

Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean that I always want to dress up like a princess. (Although I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love dressing like a princess!) Sometimes you just have to go with a classic, and what’s more classic than Mickey Mouse? Of course I have my Mouseketeer hat, my “home” T-shirt with Cinderella Castle on it, black shoes, red Fitbit, Mickey bangle bracelet and yellow Magic Band. I could have gone with my red Magic Band, but I decided on yellow to match Mickey’s iconic yellow shoes because, well, I don’t own a pair of yellow shoes, and I can’t picture myself buying a pair either.

Mickey Mouse Disney Bound

Thanks to Disney’s purchase of the Star Wars franchise, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is loaded with Star Wars experiences. My favorite character from the newest movie is BB-8. And when I saw this T-shirt and Mickey ears on Etsy, I had to have them. These are probably my favorite pair of ears I own, and I own several, haha! Plus, I wore my pearl earrings (because they are little white balls, like BB-8), white scalloped shorts (because of the color and round shape of the scalloping) and carried around my BB-8 thermos, which you can pick up at the popcorn cart outside of Star Wars Launch Bay in Hollywood Studios. I just wish I had an orange Magic Band!

bb8

Dressing up for Disney World doesn’t mean that you have to dress like any particular character either. Sometimes it’s fun to dress in a theme instead of a character. For example, my husband and I wore “safari gear” on a trip to Animal Kingdom. I even made sure to wear my purse that looks like a satchel.

sarai outfits at Animal Kingdom

Have more suggestions or ideas of what to wear on your next Disney trip? Let me know in the comments!

Where to Find the Camera on Walt Disney World Attractions

Posted by Jun 12, 2016 Disney Tips, Rides and Attractions , , , , , , , , , , 1,461 Comments
Where to Find the Camera on Walt Disney World Attractions

One of my favorite pastimes growing up was going to Walt Disney World with my family. In fact, we went so often that we started to learn where the cameras were on each of the rides. It became a game between my siblings and me to see who could get the best photo on the ride.

Want to get some epic ride photos of yourself? Here’s a list of where to find each camera:

Magic Kingdom

Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin: When you get into the second room with Zurg, the camera is right when you get in front of him. It’s around the midway point of the ride. And if you hit Galactic Hero status like me, you have plenty of time to pose for a quick pic.

GalacticHero

Space Mountain: At the beginning of the ride, your coaster will take a U-turn. Right after the turn is when the camera takes your picture. Sometimes a whole day at Disney World in the hot Florida sun makes my husband thirsty.

PhotoPass_Visiting_MK_7717220979

Splash Mountain: The camera for this ride is at the very end as the boat goes down the hill. Get ready for the “splash” in Splash Mountain like my friend Natalia!

PhotoPass_Visiting_MK_7706216130.jpeg

Epcot

Spaceship Earth: The good thing about Spaceship Earth is that it tells you when the camera is coming and where to look. Just smile and look up at the beginning of the ride. The bad thing is that this photo/video isn’t automatically included in your Photo Pass, so you may just have to take a picture of the screen at the end of the ride.

Test Track: The thing about Disney rides is that they want to capture you at the most thrilling moment. In Test Track, that’s toward the end, just as you are about to “crash” through the wall and start speeding up quickly. Apparently, my brother didn’t want to show his face in this photo.

EPCOT_DPIRIDESYSGMTT_7484119162

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith: Look up and to the right, just as your limo takes off. Just don’t make that hand gesture that Steven Tyler makes during the pre-ride film or else they’ll block out your face. Rock on!

PhotoPass_Visiting_Disneys_Hollywood_Studios_7700203324

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: It’s easy to tell when the video starts because the whole ride is in air conditioning. But when you start to feel that hot Florida air, you know you’re getting close to the outer side of the building, which is when the video starts—around the time you see a vertical line form in the black in front of you. When the doors open, you should be able to see the camera directly in front of you. It’s going to snap a photo just as you makes the first drop.

towerofterror

Animal Kingdom

Dinosaur: I actually think this ride is pretty scary, especially for little kids. When the T-Rex pops out at you around the middle of the ride, the camera is just above him. He’ll be on your right-hand side.

AK_DINOSAURRIDE_7457410796

Expedition Everest: As you escape the yeti toward the end of the ride, the coaster will take you back outside the mountain. Just as you come out of the mountain and take the big drop, the camera will be to your right. My sister and I are experts at knowing when to pose.

AK_EXPEDITIONEVERESTRIDE_7384665020

Are there any that I missed that you want to know about? Let me know in the comments!