Review of Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort: Feels Like a Deluxe Resort at a Moderate Price

Posted by Jan 26, 2020 Disney Dining, Disney on a Dime, Disney Resort, Disney Tips, Gold Pass Perks, Uncategorized , , , , , , , 29 Comments
Review of Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort: Feels Like a Deluxe Resort at a Moderate Price

Everyone in our family (my husband, son and I) is born within ten days of each other. So, when we were planning our birthday celebrations for this year, I wanted to stay somewhere on property that I had never stayed at before. I had actually never stayed at a moderate resort before, only either value (because I’m just there to have somewhere to rest my head and to take advantage of extra magic hours) or deluxe resorts (because I planned to spend the majority of my time relaxing at and enjoying the resort).

This time, because I was about eight months pregnant, I wanted to stay somewhere nice because I didn’t think I’d be able to handle walking at the parks for too long, but I also didn’t want to spend a crazy amount of money. For about the same price, I was considering either a princess room at Port Orleans Riverside Resort or one of the water view rooms at the new Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. I knew with a baby boy and another boy on the way, my chances of getting a princess room in the future would be pretty low. They’re probably going to be more interested in getting a pirate room when they’re old enough to voice their own opinions. However, I also liked the idea of staying at the newest resort on property (it was about a week before the Riviera Resort opened). Ultimately, I opted for the Gran Destino Tower because of the appeal of staying somewhere brand new, and I’m very glad I did.

The Lobby

Gran Destino Tower main lobby at Christmastime

Immediately upon parking and walking into the lobby, it took my breath away. It was Christmastime, so there was a huge Christmas tree in the middle, and the walls were glowing with red and green lights. The atmosphere and everything about this resort was gorgeous. I absolutely loved the décor. It reminded me a lot of when my husband and I traveled across Spain with touches inspired by Spanish artists Antoni Gaudí and Salvador Dalí.

Gran Destino Tower side lobby

In fact, Dalí and Walt Disney were actually good friends and started collaborating on a film together, Destino. This film wasn’t actually finished until 2003, but it served as inspiration for the name of this tower, and it could be found playing on screens by the check-in and concierge desks.

Side note: They also had infused water available for free next to the concierge desks, which was yummy and refreshing after coming in from walking around the parks all morning.

The Room

Gran Destino Tower water view room

We had a water view on the ninth floor, and it was gorgeous. Not only could we see the lake and pool of the resort, but we also had a pretty good view of Expedition Everest, Pandora: The World of Avatar, and the Tree of Life from Animal Kingdom.

Gran Destino Tower water view

The room itself was just as nice as any deluxe resort room I had stayed in before (except maybe the three-bedroom treehouse I stayed in at Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House). There was plenty of storage space for our luggage, and I appreciated the complimentary tea and coffee with the little Keurig and condiments. It was roomy, the beds were comfortable, and the linens and pillows were very soft. Plus, I loved the Mickey head made out of towels that Mousekeeping left on one of our two queen beds.

Gran Destino Tower Mickey towel animal

The room also featured a smart TV that welcomed us with our family name on it. We could not only watch regular TV and Disney+, but we could also use the TV to check the weather, look at our PhotoPass pictures, see what the resort and parks had to offer, and even connect our phones.

Gran Destino Tower bathroom shower

The bathroom was really nice as well with a waterfall shower, two sinks and a separate little room for the toilet. The theming overall was beautiful. It’s absolutely worth the price — I think our annual passholder discount brought it down to about $190/night, which is hundreds of dollars less than what we would pay for a similar room at a “deluxe” resort and not that much more than what we had paid to stay at All Star Movies just a couple months earlier. I would say our room was significantly nicer than an All Star resort and honestly not any worse than rooms I’ve stayed in at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (with a Magic Kingdom view) or Wilderness Lodge Resort. I’ll still give Animal Kingdom Lodge the edge when it comes to views overall if you can get a Savannah View.

Dining at Toledo: Tapas, Steak & Seafood

We had 9 p.m. reservations at Toledo on the top floor of Gran Destino Tower, and we showed up about 20 minutes early to request a fireworks view. Because we were so early, we stopped into Dahlia Lounge to hang out while we waited for our table. My husband ordered a beer, but before he even got it, our table was ready. I didn’t get to see a lot of Dahlia lounge, but what I did see looked very nice. I was pregnant at the time, so I unfortunately didn’t get to taste any of the drinks.

Gran Destino Tower Toledo restaurant

The restaurant itself was beautiful with a stained glass arched ceiling and filled with trees down the center and bottles of wine along one side. We were seated on the window side and were treated to a fantastic view of the Hollywood Studios fireworks. We saw both Fantasmic and the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks. This view alone was worth coming to the restaurant. I’m sure it would be beautiful to go during the day too, but I didn’t get to see it while it was light outside.

Toledo Tronchon Cheese Gratinado

For an appetizer, we ordered the Tronchón Cheese Gratinado off the tapas menu, which was cheese melted over crunchy bread topped with nuts, tupelo honey and lavender. I absolutely loved it — definitely the star of our meal.

Toledo Gran Destino Tower Hangar Steak

My husband ordered the Hangar Steak because he was told it had more meat than the Manhatten Filet. To be honest, while it did taste good, it wasn’t enough food for him and was still pretty small. I’d hate to see how small the filet was. At least we had ordered some Bravas Potatoes on the side, and those were very yummy.

Toledo scallops Gran Destino Tower

I ordered the scallops, which were plenty for me, and I liked it a lot. My favorite part was the harissa vinaigrette. If you’re trying to decide between the steak and the scallops, I thought the scallops were certainly more flavorful, but if you’re really hungry, you’re going to need to get a side or appetizer in addition to either of these entrees.

Toledo Gran Destino Tower birthday dessert peppermint bark

Because it was our birthdays, they brought us a complimentary chocolate-peppermint bark for dessert. Again, if you’re hungry, you’re probably going to want to order another dessert because it was pretty small. But the cheesy appetizer and potatoes on the side were enough to help fill our bellies, so we didn’t get any extra desserts. It was tasty, but I wouldn’t say it’s the best Disney sweet treat I’ve ever had by any means. Now that Christmas is over, I’m sure there’s a different dessert that they offer anyway.

Overall, I’d say Toledo was a bit overpriced for the small portions, but I loved the view of the fireworks, and the food (especially that appetizer) was delicious. I’d like to go back to Dahlia Lounge after I have the baby to taste some of the drinks and maybe order a different dessert too.

Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure While Pregnant

Posted by Sep 29, 2018 Disney Dining, Disney Tips, Rides and Attractions 1,148 Comments
Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure While Pregnant

Over the years, I’ve been to Walt Disney World in Florida more times than I can count. However, I had never been to the o.g. park: Disneyland in California. When my husband and I decided to go for our three-year wedding anniversary, I was so excited to ride the Matterhorn, see the differences with their Space Mountain, and so much more. But just a couple months before our anticipated trip, we found out that we were expecting a little Mouseketeer. That meant no Matterhorn, no Space Mountain, and no Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. While I was overjoyed about our upcoming bundle of joy, I was disappointed that I wouldn’t get to do many of the things I was looking forward to.

Being pregnant at Disney didn’t stop me from having a blast anyway. I was about 12 weeks along at the time. Definitely check with your doctor before going on some of these rides. Here is a list of rides that I went on but probably wouldn’t if I were further along:

  • Indiana Jones Adventure
  • Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
  • Radiator Springs Racers
  • Grizzly River Run

matterhorn at disneyland

I also went on the following rides, which I think would be fine no matter how far along you were (but again, check with your doctor first):

  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Haunted Mansion
  • It’s a Small World
  • Disneyland Railroad

guardians of the galaxy: mission breakout

Lucky for my husband, we spent the $10 each to be able to choose fast passes from our app and get all of our photos included. It was absolutely worth it, especially considering we only had one day to go to both of the California parks. I let him have my fast passes while I went around looking for characters to take photos with. Here’s a list of photos he did without me because I would not recommend doing any of them while pregnant:

  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Space Mountain
  • Matterhorn Bobsleds

Now let’s talk about food because that’s honestly the best part about going to any Disney park while pregnant: eating whatever you want without guilt. Of course you’re eating for two, but there’s so much walking (we lost count of how many times we hopped between the parks) that you’re burning so many calories that you shouldn’t feel guilty anyway.

We had lunch at Carnation Cafe because one thing you can’t do at Walt Disney World is eat right there on Main Street USA and watch the people passing by. Not only is it great people watching, but the food is pretty good too. I specifically wanted to get a bowl of Walt’s Chili because Walt Disney himself was a creature of habit—he had the same lunch every single day. What lunch was that? Chili and crackers of course! He took two cans of chili from two different brands (one with more beans than meat and one with more meat than beans) and mixed them together. The chefs at Carnation Cafe I think probably put more thought into their chili recipe, but I still felt like I was walking in Walt’s footsteps as I ate lunch.

For dessert, we walked next door to the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor. Michael got a scoop of mint chocolate chip and a scoop of strawberry in a waffle cone, and I got a scoop of cookies ‘n’ cream in a chocolate-dipped waffle cone with sprinkles. I don’t know what Disney does to their ice cream to make it so good, but that was some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. And I love the smell of the fresh waffle cones.

We went to dinner at Carthay Circle in Disney’s California Adventure, and this was by far the nicest meal I’ve had inside of any Disney park. The Brown Derby Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Le Cellier in the Canada pavilion at Epcot are pretty good too, but they still aren’t as opulent as Carthay Circle. In fact, while I’ve never personally been inside of Club 33, I’ve seen pictures and still think that Carthay Circle is nicer. The only nicer Disney restaurant I can think of is Victoria & Albert’s inside of the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World, but of course that’s a hotel and not a park. The service at Carthay Circle was excellent, and my only disappointment was that I couldn’t enjoy one of those yummy-looking mixed drinks. Both Michael and I got steaks for dinner, and we shared the warm citrus upside-down cake for dessert. Everything was mouth-watering and delicious. I highly recommend Carthay Circle for an anniversary dinner or any other special dining experience. It is a bit pricey though, so don’t make reservations if you’re on a budget.

How about you? Have you gone to Disneyland while pregnant before? What would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!

Disneyland while pregnant

 

What to Look Forward to at This Year’s Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

Posted by Feb 26, 2017 Disney Dining, Disney Tips, Rides and Attractions , , , , , , , Leave a Comment
What to Look Forward to at This Year’s Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival
I think we all know that my favorite time of year is the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, but a very close second in my heart is the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. And there are some great things coming up this year!

First, in case you didn’t know, pineapples are my spirit fruit because they are sweet on the inside and wear crowns. Ha! Dole Whips are my favorite treat at Magic Kingdom, and I loved getting it with the coconut rum topper at the Food and Wine Festival. But what I’m really excited about is an entire area dedicated to pineapples at this year’s Flower and Garden Festival—the Pineapple Promenade. Champagne is usually my go-to drink, so I seriously can’t wait for the Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkline Pineapple Wine. And it’s from my hometown of St. Petersburg, FL!

I love fruit. I love sushi. But have you ever heard of frushi? Yes, it’s sushi made out of fruit! How cute is that? You can find it at the Japan pavilion. It has pineapples, strawberries and melons rolled up with raspberry-coconut rice and sprinkled with toasted coconut. Plus, there’s whipped cream on the side.

My all-time favorite drink at Epcot is the Grand Marnier slushy at the France pavilion. But they have a twist for the Flower and Garden Festival this year—La Vie en Rose Frozen slushy with Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liqueur and cranberry juices. Yum!

Of all the places I’ve traveled in the world (the real world, not just Epcot’s world showcase—ha!), Morocco had some of the best food. I just adore all the spices, so I can’t wait to try the homemade falafel with pickled beets and turnips, tomato salad and tahini sauce at the Morocco pavilion. Now if only I can talk them into adding some harissa sauce on the side….
It’s no secret that I love spicy food, so when I saw the beef brisket burnt ends hash with white cheddar fondue and pickled jalapenos on the menu at The Smokehouse at this year’s Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, my mouth watered at the idea of it. Definitely a must!
What are you looking forward to the most? Let me know in the comments!

The New Disney Springs

Posted by Oct 22, 2016 Disney Dining, Disney on a Dime, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , 36 Comments
The New Disney Springs

I feel like Disney’s shopping area has grown up with me. When I was little, it was quaint little Disney Village. When I turned 21, my mom and aunt took me to Pleasure Island. It turned into Downtown Disney in my 20s. And now that I’m in my 30s, it’s Disney Springs. It went from being a subset of Disney for little kids, to a roaring nightclub scene, to a downtown vibe, and now it has fully grown up into more of a suburb feel. The best part of the new Disney Springs? It’s free! Of course, you have to pay for whatever you get at the shops or restaurants, but it’s free to get in and just walk around.

Morimoto Asia Street Food

One of my favorite restaurants in Hawaii is Morimoto Waikiki. So of course I had to try Morimoto Asia at the new Disney Springs. However, the price tag in the sit-down restaurant is a little hefty for me, so I opted for Morimoto Asia Street Food. It has some of the same menu offerings as regular Morimoto Asia, but it’s quick service, so it’s a lot cheaper. I had the chicken-teriyaki bao tacos, the Morimoto baby ribs and the Singapore slush. OMG, can you say delicious?! I just love the texture of the bao as the “shell” of the taco, and the spicy mayo adds just the right kick. I have no idea what kind of magic they put on the ribs, but it’s amazing. The flavor is sweet and savory, and the meat just melts off the bone. Seriously incredible. The Singapore slush is like a frozen lemonade but better—because it has vodka in it, haha!

Sprinkles Cupcakes and Ice Cream

I had seen photos of the beautiful cupcake creations from Sprinkles, so I really wanted to see if they tasted as good as they looked. I knew you could get cupcakes; I knew you could get ice cream. But what I didn’t know is that you could order what they call a cupcake sundae. You order a cupcake and an ice cream flavor, and then they split the top off the cupcake, put the ice cream on top of the bottom half and then place the top back on. It’s basically an ice-cream sandwich but with a cupcake. Brilliant idea. I got the chocolate-marshmallow cupcake with the peanut-butter ice cream. So yummy! My aunt paired a red-velvet cupcake with the dark-chocolate ice cream, and that was delicious as well. We went inside, but they also have a cupcake ATM outside, which is a pretty neat idea. Overall, I would say it’s a bit pricey (about $8 for what’s basically one cupcake and one scoop of ice cream), but if you have a sweet tooth, you will love it.

D-Luxe Burger

d-luxe burger

D-Luxe Burger is a quick-service restaurant at Disney Springs with mouthwatering, juicy burgers and greasy, delicious fries. Actually, the best part about the fries is the dipping sauces. When you order your meal, they ask you what kind of dipping sauce you want. We opted for the curry ketchup and the chipotle mayo. They with both very good, but the chipotle mayo was my favorite. I also got El Diablo burger, which was easily one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time (other than what my husband makes, of course). If you’re on a diet, I certainly wouldn’t recommend going to D-Luxe Burger, but if you want to indulge in some comfort food at a good price, D-Luxe Burger is a good place to go.

El Diablo DLuxe Burger

The Boathouse

Disney Springs amphicar

After indulging in D-Luxe Burger, we needed to walk and shop around the stores at Disney Springs. We burned some calories and were ready for an afternoon drink and sweet treat. The Boathouse is a cute little restaurant by the water, but since we were still full from the burgers and fries, we just went to The Dockside Bar. You go through the restaurant and walk down a little dock to get to this outdoor bar. Don’t worry about the hot Florida sun though because it is covered. I got a prosecco, and my aunt and I shared the Double Chocolate Bundt Cake, which came with raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream. Perfect sweet afternoon treat! The best part about The Dockside Bar was the views. I loved watching the amphicars go by. They look like ’50s cars but can go both on land and water. How cool is that? Next time I go to Disney Springs, I definitely want to try that out!amphicars

What to Look Forward to at 2016 Food and Wine Festival

Posted by Sep 12, 2016 Disney Dining, Disney Tips, Rides and Attractions , , , , , , , , , , , 16 Comments
What to Look Forward to at 2016 Food and Wine Festival

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, I’m not talking about Christmas. I’m talking about the Epcot Food and Wine Festival at Disney World. Leave the kids at home. This is when the adults get to have their own magical experiences. It’s time to eat and drink around the world! Disney announced this week the offerings for this year’s festival, and I’m stoked already. So what am I most looking forward to? Let’s break it down.

1. Pineapple Dole Whip Soft-Serve Ice Cream with Bacardi Coconut Rum

My all-time favorite snack at Disney World is the Dole Whip. Now they’re adding a coconut rum topper? I think this is what dreams are made of. Look for it at the Refreshment Port. Take a right when you enter World Showcase from Future World, and it will be one of the first kiosks on the right.

2. Twinings® Pumpkin Chai Tea Frozen Cocktail with Caramel Vodka

One of the great things about the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is that they bring in extra countries with kiosks around World Showcase that they don’t usually have around the rest of the year, such as Ireland. Why a chai drink is at the Ireland kiosk instead of at an India kiosk, I may never know. What I do know is that chai tea is my go-to drink at coffee shops unless it’s fall, in which case I’m as basic of a girl as it gets because I love my pumpkin spice lattes. Putting those two together just might make my tastebuds explode. But then they also want to add caramel vodka? It’s like they tailored this drink just for me.

3. Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey Caramel

New to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival this year is the Chocolate Studio. If there’s one thing I love almost as much as Disney (other than my husband and family of course), it’s chocolate. I could totally relate in Frozen when Princess Anna sang, “I want to stuff some chocolate in my face!” This liquid nitro chocolate-almond truffle sounds like it will just melt in your mouth. AND it has warm whiskey caramel? Shut up and take my money!

4. Artist Palette of Wine and Cheese

Also new this year is the Wine & Dine Studio. The Artist Palette of Wine and Cheese includes a trio of cheeses (La Bonne Vie goat cheese served with toasted Craisin bread, Karst cave-aged cheddar cheese served with fig compote, and Statesboro blue cheese served with spiced candied walnuts), each paired with a wine (Conundrum White Blend 25th Anniversary, Kurt Russell’s GoGi “Goldie” Chardonnay and Robert Mondavi Maestro Red Blend). Is there anything in life that goes better than wine and cheese? Well, maybe magic and Disney. But really, this is a way to get all four at once.

5. Grilled Beef Skewer with Romaine, Apricots and Feta Cheese

Disney is more than just theme parks and movies. In fact, you might be shocked to find out what’s included in the vast Disney empire. One of the many things that Disney owns is the television channel ABC, which of course includes the TV show The Chew. And what promotes better synergy than exploiting the fact they own both a cooking show and a food-themed event than having a The Chew kiosk at the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival? However, this grilled beef skewer with romaine, apricots and feta will likely make me forget that I’m giving into “the man” (or I guess in this case, it would be giving into “the mouse”).

What are you most looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!

Food and Wine Fest

Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Kidani Village

Posted by Sep 5, 2016 Disney Dining, Disney Resort, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , 20 Comments
Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Kidani Village

While I’ve stayed at both Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House) and Animal Kingdom Kidani Village, I had only eaten at Boma in Jambo House. However, my aunt (who lives in Celebration and goes regularly) really recommended going to Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Kidani Village for lunch. She obviously knew what she was talking about because it was an incredible experience. If you like spice (like spices, not like hot), you will love Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Kidani Village.

Sanaa Animal Kingdom Lodge

We started with their famous bread service. It comes with five different types of naan bread and around 10 different sauces, which you can try on the different breads. We enjoyed mixing and matching the accompaniments to get different flavors. I’m a huge fan of heat, so I really liked the hotter flavors like the jalapeño-lime sauce. But the mango chutney was among my favorites as well. The bread service alone is enough to fill you up! Plus, it is so yummy!


Sanaa has a view of many animals, including giraffes, zebras, oxen and an array of exotic birds. One of these birds (an African crowned crane) decided to hop the fence and come over to say hello. This was definitely the closest I’ve come to any of Disney’s Animal Kingdom animals! And a snake slithered right by our table too, which freaked me out a little bit. The servers were really knowledgeable about all of the animals, which I thought was awesome.

Sanaa dessert trio

For our main course, we had butter chicken and basmati rice. The flavors and spices in the butter chicken were amazing, and I highly recommend it. We finished off the meal with a trio of desserts so we could try a little bit of everything. We had Afrika povu, which was like a chocolate mousse filled with rum caramel, a lemon lychee tart with a marshmallow topper, and strawberry sorbet. Everything was super yummy, but the lemon lychee tart was probably my favorite. We didn’t try the bread pudding this time, but my aunt says that the bread pudding is delicious as well. I guess that just gives me another excuse to go back!

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Posted by Aug 14, 2016 Characters, Disney Dining, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , 22 Comments
Be Our Guest Restaurant

entrance to be our guest

With the expansion of the new Fantasyland at Walt Disney World came new attractions and restaurants, including the Be Our Guest restaurant, named after the song from Beauty and the Beast. The theme of the restaurant is Beast’s castle, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Decor- and ambiance-wise, this is the most beautiful restaurant in all of Walt Disney World—yes, even more beautiful than Cinderella’s Royal Table in Cinderella Castle.

rose napkin

The first time I went to Be Our Guest was for breakfast, which is quick service. Even though it’s quick service, you still need to get reservations in advance. I was lucky enough to get last-minute reservations, most likely because someone else canceled that day, but that’s not usually the case. It’s better to book as soon as you can. However, if you can’t get in on the day you want, keep checking the My Disney Experience app every day because something may open up. For breakfast, you order from kiosks, get a plastic rose, and then your meal magically shows up at whatever table you pick to sit at. I ordered the egg whites, thinking I was going to be healthy. Ha! I should have known that’s never the case at Disney World. With breakfast came an array of delicious pastries, and the diet went completely out the window.


When I went for dinner with my husband, I booked six months in advance. That’s how quickly this restaurant gets booked up. We checked in at the front a little early, and the cast member said that they were running a little late. So he said we could either wait on the bridge (where they had free water, which was nice), or we could walk down to Gaston’s tavern and hang out in the air conditioning. I am SO GLAD we listened to him and went to Gaston’s tavern because not only was waiting in the air conditioning better than waiting in the hot Florida sun, but we also ordered a couple of LeFou’s Brews. This might now rival the Dole Whip for my favorite sweet treat at Disney World. It’s amazingly delicious. It’s like an apple cider slushy with a hint of marshmallow taste, topped with a passion fruit foam. I can’t even begin to describe how good it was. My husband said he liked it even more than the Dole Whip. It’s still a tight race for me.

be our guest ceiling

We got a text message to let us know that our table was ready at Be Our Guest, so we headed back. The cast member at the front of the castle handed me a Lumiere figurine to “help light the way” to our table. We were lucky enough to be seated in the ballroom, which looks exactly like the movie. It’s so opulent and gorgeous, and they even have the mural with cherubs on the ceiling. If you look out the “windows” in the back, it looks like it’s snowing outside. The other gorgeous room is the West Wing, which, again, looks just like the movie. It has the painting of Beast as a human (Prince Adam) that he clawed at as well as tapestries that had also been clawed. The coolest part of the West Wing is the enchanted rose. It really is just like you stepped into the movie.

be our guest steak

For dinner, I ordered the shrimp and scallops, and my husband ordered the steak. This also happens to be the only place in Magic Kingdom where you can have alcohol. Be Our Guest offers beer and wine, but only for dinner. (If you really need a drink, you can go to any of the other parks, or I’ll give you some tips in another post.) Both of our meals were superb. This may be my favorite sit-down restaurant at Disney World (at least for the restaurants that aren’t all-you-can-eat).

the grey stuff

Everything was so amazing that we couldn’t even imagine how delicious “the grey stuff” was going to be. In fact, the whole reason I even wanted to eat at Be Our Guest for dinner was so I could try the grey stuff. It comes from the line in the Be Our Guest song, “Try the grey stuff; it’s delicious. Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!” Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but the dishes are liars. The grey stuff, while decent, was not great. I wouldn’t have called it super delicious. It tasted like Cool Whip—just Cool Whip with grey food coloring. Womp womp. My husband says that instead of asking the dishes, you should ask the steins. We both would have rather gone back to Gaston’s Tavern and had more LeFou’s Brew.

enchanted rose

After dinner, we had a chance to walk around and see more of the restaurant. The ballroom is definitely the best place to sit, but the West Wing is a close second. However, I would have been pissed if I had to sit in Belle’s picture room. It looked like they ran out of budget because they spent so much on making the rest of Beast’s castle look so incredible that they just slapped this room together with some pictures on the walls.

meeting the beast

We also had the chance to meet the Beast after dinner. All the cast members referred to him as “the master” and “our host for the evening,” which I thought was a nice touch. However, I think it would have made more sense if instead of the Beast, it was Prince Adam. A cast member happened to drop a dish while we were there, and I said to my husband that’s like murder if the castle is enchanted. He said that it’s not because the curse was broken, which is why all the servers are humans. I said that was a good point. But if the spell was broken, then why is the Beast greeting guests instead of Prince Adam? That’s a miss in my book. Also wish Belle could be there too, but I guess she’s over in the cottage for her Enchanted Tales.

be our guest menu

Overall, I highly recommend Be Our Guest for both breakfast and dinner. I can’t comment on lunch yet, but I assume it’s good. But opt for a different dessert than the grey stuff because that was a bit of a disappointment. I’m not saying it’s bad; I’m just saying there’s probably better options on the menu. It’s such a gorgeous restaurant with beautiful decor that it makes for great photo ops. There’s even a room with suits of armor that talk! Disney certainly knows how to pay attention to details.

High Tea at the Grand Floridian

Posted by Aug 3, 2016 Disney Dining, Disney Resort, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , , 342 Comments
High Tea at the Grand Floridian

First off, do resorts get any prettier than Disney World’s Grand Floridian? I mean, come on! Gorgeous! My sister and I absolutely love high tea. We grew up going all the time with our grandparents on cruises, so of course I had to take her to try out the high tea at the Grand Floridian in the Garden View Tea Room for her 19th birthday. It did not disappoint.

High tea at the Grand Floridian

You do need to book this in advance because times for high tea at the Grand Floridian do fill up. Both my sister are huge fans of the book Pride and Prejudice. So of course I had to get the Derbyshire Tea package, just because Mr. Darcy owns half of Derbyshire. However, I pronounced it like they do in the movie, but our waiter pronounced it phonetically. I was a little put off by that. Maybe I’m just a snob — ha!

Grand Floridian champagne

The Derbyshire Tea package was $45 and included various finger sandwiches, cheeses, fruits, a scone, a tart and my choice of dessert and tea (duh). It also included a glass of Veuve Clicquot, which happens to be my favorite champagne. (We had it for the toast at my wedding.) Because she’s not 21 yet, my sister opted for the Bedfordshire Tea package, which is $30 and is essentially the same exact thing as the Derbyshire Tea package, just without the champagne. A $15 upcharge to include a glass of Veuve didn’t seem like that bad of a deal when you consider how expensive a bottle is.

Grand Floridian high tea

For the teas, my sister got the Earl Grey, which the server warned tasted more like licorice than regular Earl Grey. My sister didn’t seem to notice the licorice though. I opted for the nutty chocolate tea because it sounded like it was going to taste like Nutella. While it was good, it wasn’t Nutella good. Then again, few things are.

Grand Floridian high tea sandwiches

The sandwiches they brought out were all very good. In order of how I liked them, there was a curry chicken sandwich, a golden beet and goat cheese sandwich, a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich, and an egg salad sandwich. This actually surprised me because cucumber and cream cheese and egg salad are usually my two favorite kinds of sandwiches. However, I wasn’t huge on the bread they paired with the cucumber, and the egg salad had a bit too many chives. Overall, they were all yummy, especially that curry chicken one. The scones came with butter, apricot jam and lemon crème. The lemon crème was definitely my favorite. It was delicious!

For dessert, my sister chose the strawberries and cream—so beautiful! It came with a sprinkle of red sugar in the Grand Floridian logo, and she said it tasted as good as it looked. I got the assorted pastries, which included two macaroons (love!), a chocolate-dipped strawberry and a puff pastry in the shape of a swan, filled with a strawberry cream. Amazing!

Briar roses

Everything was absolutely delicious and well worth the price. Plus, they even gave us each a rose at the end of tea. A Briar Rose, get it? (If you don’t get it, you’re not a true Disney fan.) We were so full from this (our reservations were for 4:15) that we didn’t even notice that we didn’t eat dinner before the fireworks at the end of the night. I highly recommend afternoon tea in the Grand Floridian’s Garden View Tea Room!

Pros and Cons of Aulani, Disney’s Hawaiian Resort

Posted by Jul 20, 2016 Disney Dining, Disney Resort, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , 312 Comments
Pros and Cons of Aulani, Disney’s Hawaiian Resort

When I got engaged, I told my then-fiancé that I’ve always wanted to get married at Disney World. Ever since I was a little girl, I envisioned myself getting married at the Wedding Pavilion at the Grand Florida. However, he didn’t like that idea at all. Can you believe that?! Ugh. So we regrouped and compromised (because that’s what marriage is all about, right?) and decided to get married in Hawaii. And of course that meant going to Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii. There are both pros and cons to Aulani, so let’s get to them!

Pros Cons
  • It’s gorgeous. Seriously. I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful this resort is. If you’ve ever been to the Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World, I would describe Aulani as the Polynesian on steroids. Get ready to see the most breathtaking sunsets of your life. Plus, the details Disney put into this resort is unlike anything I’ve seen before. And that’s saying a lot because it’s Disney we’re talking about!
  • The food is amazing. If you know me, you know I love Disney’s all-you-can-eat restaurants and buffets, so I really loved Aulani’s buffet, Makahiki. The word Makahiki comes from a Hawaiian festival of abundance, and there is definitely an abundance of food and flavors. I highly recommend both the prime rib and the bread pudding.
  • Scared that a Disney resort means you won’t be able to relax without screaming kids running around? Fear not. Aulani offers an adult-only pool and bar area.
  • There are so many activities like being entertained by hula dancers, listening to stories around a fire pit and watching movies under the stars that you will certainly never be bored!
  • Meet and greet with your favorite characters. Um, hello. This is Disney. Did you think you were going to fly all the way to Hawaii and not see Mickey Mouse and his pals? Come on! And they’re decked out in festive aloha gear.
  • It’s in the middle of nowhere. It takes about an hour to get there from anywhere or anything you’d want to see on Oahu. It’s on the leeward side of the island, which is not close to anything. It’s far from Waikiki (where all the action is), the North Shore (where the best surfing is) and the windward side (where all the best scenery is).
  • It’s EXPENSIVE. Disney is expensive. Hawaii is expensive. A Disney resort in Hawaii is REALLY expensive. 14 of my family members rented this house on the water for the same it costs to get a suite in Aulani, and another six stayed in this house for the same as Aulani’s standard room. The cheapest room at the cheapest time of year is going to cost you $469 at Aulani, and it only goes up from there.

As you can see, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Sure, there might be nothing to do outside of the resort and it is really expensive, but with everything there is to do at Aulani, you won’t need to go outside the resort and spend extra money to be entertained. But if you do want to get out and see more and save some money, you could always spend just a couple days at Aulani and spend the rest of your time on Oahu at another resort or rental house on a different part of the island. But I definitely think you need to at least visit Aulani once and experience the magic. And seriously, can you imagine a more beautiful spot for wedding photos?

Aulani lobby

Disney Aulani Wedding

Aulani balcony


Hawaiian wedding

Hawaii wedding

Aulani wedding

Aulani sunset wedding

Aulani Makahiki

What a great place to spend time with family!

Aulani Pros and Cons

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

Posted by Jun 25, 2016 Disney Dining, Disney Tips , , , , , , , , , , , 151 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.