Disney Dining Plan Details

Hello there!
I've had a request for a list of the Disney Dining Plan restaurants for 2010. Here's a list of the participating restaurants and the category they qualify under.

CLICK HERE to see Disney's official "brochure" about the Dining Plan. The icons can be a little confusing, though.

CLICK HERE to see an easy-to-read chart listing all of the 2010 participating restaurants.

Here are a few of my favorites for each park:

Animal Kingdom: I haven't eaten in this park for ages, but I've heard Tusker House and Boma are excellent.

Disney Hollywood Studios:
-50's Prime Time (Comfort food and great atmosphere)
-Sci-Fi Drive-In (Kind of basic food but great environment)
-The Brown Derby (Upscale but great food and atmosphere)
-ABC Commissary is good for quick service.

Epcot:
-DO NOT MISS San Angel Inn in the Mexico Pavilion! They serve the BEST Mexican food!
-Le Cellier is supposed to be excellent but getting a reservation seems to be nearly impossible.
-Chefs de France is good, but a bit pricey.
-Really any of the quick-service options are good and serve authentic (but still edible for Americans) food.

Magic Kingdom:
-If possible, do NOT miss Cinderella's Royal Table! The atmosphere is just beautiful, and it really completes the Disney experience (in my opinion).
-Pinnochio Village Haus is a great quick-service restaurant. Get there early for lunch and sit next to the big picture window overlooking It's A Small World. So much fun!
-Tony's Town Square has good Italian food and a cozy atmosphere.
-I've heard that Columbia House and Pecos Bill Cafe are good quick-service options as well.

*Plan out how you plan to allot your given Dining Credits, then make your Advanced Dining Reservations. Again, having a plan is the key to a less stressful vacation. You don't want to be hashing out where you spend which credits in the middle of Main Street U.S.A. Trust me on this.

*Be aware that the Signature Restaurants use more than one credit, so plan accordingly. It might help to list out each family member, their credits, and how you're using them. It sounds stressful, but you are PREVENTING stress while in the parks! Of course you can always modify your plan, but at least begin with one.

*From what I've heard, you get the most out of the Dining Plan if you plan to eat a LOT of food. Otherwise, it's cheaper to go "a la carte" with your meals.

I hope you have wonderful meal times together at the World!

Peter Pan and Mary Blair

I wrote this post for my regular blog, but it definitely applies to my love for Disney, so I wanted to share it here :)

It's time for my friend SD's weekly story time!


This week, I'm featuring:


This is one of the books that I had on Evy's Wishlist, and Kurt's grandmother, Momo, got it for her for her first birthday! The main reasons I love this book: 1) It's Disney, and 2) It's illustrated by Mary Blair.


Walt Disney personally loved Mary Blair's style. She was influential in designing the "Small World" ride at Disney World, and she contributed to other projects as well. I love the story of Peter Pan, and having Mary's illustrations added to it is just wonderful.


I love fairy tales, especially the way Disney retells them, and I love seeing how different illustrators interpret the stories.
Happy Wednesday!

Disney Dining!

One of the most important decisions in your research while planning for Disney World will be about dining. You need to have a gameplan for how you'll handle meals, snacks, etc. while visiting.

-First, decide on whether or not you'll use the Disney Dining plan. This is an all-inclusive, pre-paid plan that allots a number of meals per person, per day. CLICK HERE for the official Disney Dining website, where you'll find thorough information. From what I've heard (I've never used the Dining Plan), it usually ends up being a lot of food per person, and you'd probably save more money going a la carte. I would probably always feel like I was wasting my money if I didn't max out every bite of food allowed in the plan. But some people love the pre-paid ease of the plan. Decide what suits your personality best.

-CLICK HERE for Disney World restaurant menus.

-Go to Disney's Dining website and look through all of the restaurant options. Decide what's practical for your family. Personally, I prefer one Quick Service meal a day, and one Table Service meal a day. Part of the Disney experience (to me) are the restaurants. You just can't beat the themes and how you're immersed in the details. However, if you're on a budget, you could do breakfast at your hotel in the morning (or have "lunch" at 10:30-11:00 am), and do Quick Service meals the whole time except for one or two nice Table Service meals.

-If you want to eat some table-service meals (as opposed to Quick Service/Counter-style meals), you'll need to make reservations. Reservations are available 180 days out and 180 + 10 days for Disney Resort guests. SOME RESTAURANTS VARY. Check the official Disney Dining website for details on each restaurant. CLICK HERE for a Reservation Calculator to determine when you can call and make your reservations.

-Prepare BEFORE you call! This is when you need to be organized. I usually draw out a "calendar" for each day that we'll be in the parks and write out my preferred restaurants. I think through the times that would be good to ask for (I usually try for "off" times, like a 10:00 am or a 3:00 pm lunch, or an 8:00 pm dinner, for example). I have all my days written out in front of me, so if I need to switch around while talking to the operator, I can see what I'm doing and think clearly. I write everything in pencil. I also have a list of "Plan B" restaurants, just in case something is completely unavailable (more on that later).

-Disney is now offering the option of making reservations online (it's available on the actual restaurant's webpage). I've never used this method, but I think it's worth a try. I'm usually the type that likes to talk to an actual person, to confirm that our names are in the system and there wasn't a glitch. Call 1-407-WDW-DINE. Have everything in front of you, with a pencil ready. I've always had wonderful experiences with the Disney Cast Members who work in Dining. They are so helpful and they understand this can be overwhelming. They've also answered questions I've had about timing, etc.

-Be flexible while talking to the operator. If a certain day or time isn't available for a restaurant, ask them to search for any day of your vacation. For instance, Cinderella's Royal Table is a MUST for my family. So any day it's available, I flip-flop our park schedule to accommodate that reservation. That's why it's nice to have your hand-made calendar right in front of you. You can easily erase "Magic Kingdom" above Tuesday and switch it to Thursday if that's when you can get into the Royal Table.

-If you have kids, I would try to do at least one character meal. It's a guaranteed way to meet and get pictures with characters in a less stressful environment. Sometimes these can fill up fast, so pay attention to how many days out you can make your reservation.

-If you have older kids/teenagers/adults in your party, you'll probably get more out of Table Service restaurants, because you can appreciate the food, themes, and details. Here's my rule of thumb: The younger the child(ren), the less Table Service restaurants you'll want to reserve. Here's why: Kids don't usually appreciate eating at a replica of the Brown Derby, for instance. Also, it can be hard to plan what your child's mood will be like at the time of a reservation. It's just a gamble. That's why, with younger kids, I advise using mainly snacks and Quick Service meals when the little ones need it, and reserve maybe one or two special Table Service meals. You won't feel like you've wasted money on meals that weren't appreciated, and it gives you more flexibility.

-I'll be highlighting some of my favorite restaurants here and there on this blog. I love Disney Dining!

-As always, feel free to email me or leave a comment with questions, etc.

-Don't be intimidated by this process! It really does help you plan out your day once you have a plan in place for eating your meals. Next up, I'll discuss starting to make a touring plan for the parks.

Coming Soon....

I'll share how to start putting together a plan for your Disney vacation! Stay tuned!

Also, grab my new button (on the right) and share the Disney love!

Voices of Liberty

Be sure to pause my regular playlist to hear these wonderful videos!

This phenomenal singing group usually performs at Epcot, in the American Rotunda.

When my family went to Disney in 2005, we were there on my birthday, and Voices of Liberty sang Happy Birthday to me!



We don't have it on video, but here is the exact arrangement they sang:



Here are some other beautiful arrangements by Voices of Liberty:







If Voices of Liberty is performing during your next trip, you MUST see them! It's a beautiful experience!

Merry Christmas!

May the Lord bless you this year---and may you experience some Disney magic along the way!

Tips for Baby Mouseketeers

Recently, I received a comment on my main blog from a mom who recently took her 18-month-old to Disney World:

I wish I would have known about your blog before we went to Disney World. We went over Thanksgiving and although we did make some good memories we were really at a loss for our son's age group (16 months). He was NOT a happy camper and in turn, mom and dad were not happy campers! I want to go back but not for a very long time!

Disney can be challenging with a child that's too big to sleep in the stroller all day, but too small to really enjoy everything to its fullest. Here are some tips that might make it a little easier.

-Pack your own snacks. At this time, Disney is lenient on their food policy. If you know that Penelope is obsessed with Goldfish crackers, guess what you need to pack? Obviously, don't weigh down your backpack with pounds of food, but pack individual little snack baggies and a sippy cup that you can fill with water.

-Know that you can always return to Disney in the future. Plan the trip around what is easiest and most engaging for a toddler. Research Disney's website, and really, really detailed reports at Allears and make a list. List MUST-SEE attractions, MAYBE attractions, and then forget the rest. Seriously. Prepare your mind ahead of time.

-It will be pretty easy to determine which rides a toddler can't go on. Basically, it will have a height requirement. But at this age, toddlers are really interested in just the experience, sights, and sounds of a ride/attraction. Don't be worried if they don't "get" the premise of the ride.

-If you and your spouse want to go on a certain ride that Baby can't go on, Disney has a wonderful system called the Rider-Switch or Baby-Swap. Each ride handles this a little differently, but all you need to do is check in with the Cast Member greeter at the ride. They will usually give you a pass that clearly indicates the situation: Rider Switch. The first parent can get in line (or get in the Fastpass line if you have a legitimate one to use), while the other waits with Baby. Then after the ride, the parents switch and the other parent gets to go through the Fastpass line and take his/her turn. Isn't that great?!

-Sometimes you'll need a relax and regroup ride or attraction. Here are some ideas:

• Tomorrowland Transit Authority (MK): Get on and off as you please. It's a smooth tram-like ride above Tomorrowland that goes at the perfect pace. Wonderful for resting your feet. Another idea: if your toddler sleeps well while "moving," such as in a car, this simulates that experience. The scenery is varied enough to where the adults can chill, talk and relax while Wee Children take a power nap.
• Hall of Presidents (MK): Climate controlled, auditorium-type situation. The lighting is dark, and it's rarely full, so this is also a good nursing opportunity if need be.
  
• The Walt Disney World Railroad (MK) makes a big giant loop and is great for outdoor scenery and a nice breeze when the weather is right. Great resting for your feet!
  
• The Liberty Belle Riverboat (MK) is just that: a slow boat ride within Magic Kingdom. When you hit it right, it's not crowded, and there are relatively good seating options.
• Impressions de France (E): Theater-type seating with an IMAX-like film. Good for resting your feet, but unless you're sitting in the very back corner and it's not crowded, this probably wouldn't be the best place to nurse. The screen produces a lot of light from the film.
  
• The American Adventure (E): Similar to the Hall of Presidents, this is a dark-theater situation. Good for resting/nursing!
  

Here are some exciting and engaging rides/attractions for toddlers:

• Small World (MK)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (MK): You might need to shield the eyes in the first portion of the ride
• Jungle Cruise (MK)
• Country Bear Jamboree (MK)
• Peter Pan's Flight (MK)
• Dumbo (MK)
• Disney's Philharmagic (MK): A personal favorite of mine! This does require 3-D glasses. However, if you just can't make your toddler wear them, it's okay. The screen will be fuzzy-looking to them, but they should still enjoy the experience. You will too!
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Cinderella's Golden Carousel
• Mickey and Minnie's Houses (MK): Be aware that you walk through these attractions. However, they are stroller friendly, and touching things is encouraged!
• Carousel of Progress (MK): Only if your toddler is fascinated by audio-animatronic people, etc. This isn't child-geared, but the changing scenes and AA people/dog could keep their attention. When in doubt, skip it. You can't exit easily because the theater rotates.
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (MK)
• Spaceship Earth (E): Again, be advised this is about the history of communication/technology and there is no easy exit. Audio-animatronics are used and there are some neat lighting effects every now in then, but if in doubt, skip it.
  
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends (E)
• Turtle Talk with Crush (E): Not a ride; you sit on the floor. If you have an active toddler, skip it!
• Journey Into Imagination (E): I'd call this a "Maybe"/If You Have Time ride.
• El Rio de Tiempo (E): Boat ride in the Mexico Pavilion.
  
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid (DHS)
• Playhouse Disney--Live (DHS)
• Kilamanjaro Safari (AK)
• Finding Nemo the Musical (AK)

-Disney offers Baby Stations that are a great place to recharge and regroup. There is an adult restroom, sinks, changing areas, high chairs for feeding, nursing rooms, etc. For a charge, you can purchase items you might have forgotten.

Here are the locations of the Baby Stations (from Allears):

Magic Kingdom -- At the end of Main Street, behind the Crystal Palace Restaurant on you way to Adventureland. It is tucked away in a small courtyard near the first aid station.

Epcot -- On the backside of the Odyssey Restaurant on the walkway from Test Track to Mexico. This is a very neat station as many times the workers from the Mexican Pavilion come over to relieve the cast members. It is great to talk to them about their travels and country while you are taking a break.

Disney's Hollywood Studios -- Just inside the entrance near guest services on the left as you enter.

Animal Kingdom -- Near the Creature Comforts gift shop on the left side of The Tree of Life.

-A lot of people like the Take a Break and Nap approach. They will go back to their hotel mid-day and really recharge. You know your kids best. If you will have meltdowns if they don't get that solid 2-hour nap, then it's worth taking the break. You don't want to ruin your vacation! However, if you think your kids can nap in their stroller(s) while you continue to browse, eat, etc., I say keep going. You know your kids best!

-Don't force a character meeting unless you really think your child can handle it. Start talking about Disney World early and discuss maybe meeting some characters (try not promise specific characters--you never know who you will run into!). Watch the Disney Planning DVD that you can get FREE!

-Dining arrangements will be different with very small children. I would plan on mostly quick-service meals, since you never know what state you'll be in at any given point in the day. If your child is nice and predictable about mealtimes, then maybe make one Advanced Dining Reservation a day, maximum. (Call 1-407-WDW-DINE or you can now reserve online!)

-Do not bother with Character Meals unless your child is really old enough to be excited about it and has shown an interest in Disney movies, characters, etc. Again, you know your child best!

As long as you do some preparing and planning, you really can manage a Disney vacation with a very small child. Just try to stick to your normal schedule as far as eating, napping, snacking, etc. the best you can. Breathe and realize that memories (for you as adults) is why you're doing this. Seeing Disney through Evy's eyes is something I literally can't wait for. I'm counting the hours until we take her for the first time!