Ways to Enjoy Disney at Home

I think we are all craving more Disney, even if we weren't planning a trip during this time, it is hard to not see new content from our Disney local social media friends.

So, how am I enjoying Disney at Home?

1. Disney movie day
One day a week, I try to watch a Disney movie while I do something like fold clothes.

2. Disney recipes
Disney is releasing SO MANY RECIPES right now...its so amazing. Follow Disney Parks Blog on Facebook to keep up with the recipes we all love so you can try them at home!

3. Disney Ice Cream Treats
Mickey Bar and Mickey Ice Cream Sandwiches!!! I love them so much! They should be available in your grocery freezer section.

4. Disney Videos on YouTube
You can watch shows, virtually ride attractions or just walk through the parks!

5. Disney Books
I personally love the Twisted Tale series by Liz Braswell and the Kingdom Keeper series by Ridley Pearson, but there are a lot of Disney books out there to enjoy!

How do you enjoy Disney at home?

My Top 5 Pixar Shorts

When Disney+ launched, I decided to watch all of the Pixar movies in chronological order. When Pixar first began computer animation, they produced shorts. The first short they produced was completed in 1984 and is one minute long, The Adventures of Andre & Wally B.

If you dedicate just a bit of time to watching the shorts that were released before Toy Story in 1995, it becomes even more clear how good the Pixar team is at story-telling and technology.

So as a Pixar fan, I want to share my favorite Pixar shorts.

5. La Luna, 2012, 6 minutes
This is, by far, the most beautiful of the shorts. The story is sweet and it seems to be that the animation is a precursor to the lighted animation in Coco.

4. The Blue Umbrella, 2013, 6 minutes
It just a cute love story about how things that are meant to be eventually come to be.

3. Loop, 2020, 11 minutes
Loop features a non-verbal autistic character that is paired with a kid for a canoe trip at a day camp. The animation is gorgeous and the life lesson is off the charts valuable.

2. Piper, 2016, 6 minutes
I could put this on a loop because it makes me feel like I'm lying on a beach watching the sandpipers scuttle around.

Honorable Mentions
Tin Toy, 1988, 5 minutes (A direct precursor to Toy Story)
Luxo Jr., 1986, 2 minutes (Where we get the lamp in the logo)

1. Lifted, 2006, 4 minutes
This is the absolute funniest of all of them. Of course the animation is great, but the story is just funny.

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know!

My Favorite Things about Coronado Springs

Last winter, we stayed at Coronado Springs for a long weekend. It was our first experience at a moderate resort and I want to share my 5 favorite things about Coronado Springs...and one thing I think could be improved.

1. The theming
It is a gorgeous resort with a Mayan theme and they incorporate the Three Caballeros into the resort seamlessly. I love the fountains and I especially enjoyed being able to use the different fountains as landmarks.

2. The food
We loved El Mercado de Coronado, the quick service restaurant (get the Chicken Rice Bowl!). Cafe Rix had some pretty good coffee and pastries and one of my favorite afternoons was spent waterside sipping a Cosmorita from the Laguna Bar.

3. The beds
They were so comfy. Do I need to go into more detail?

4. The renovated rooms
The rooms were so clean and well designed. The decor was slightly Disney, but mostly just pleasing.

5. The pool
While it was too cool to use the pool on our trip, it was a gorgeous pool area. I could have really enjoyed using the main pool or any of the smaller pools on the resort.

The one thing I didn't like...
The removal of carpet from the rooms, while helpful from a cleanliness perspective, leads to a lot of noise from the adjoining rooms.

Are you struggling to pick the right resort for you? I can help! Contact me for a free, no obligation quote. My services are free if you book your vacation with me!

Walt Disney World Dining Review: Trattoria al Forno Bon Voyage Breakfast

On our last morning, we ventured over to Boardwalk Inn for breakfast at Trattoria al Forno for the Bon Voyage Breakfast. The boardwalk is so peaceful in the morning.

We were in the first seating. Each table gets a frying pan of pastries.

While the price is fixed, it isn't a buffet breakfast, which is a nice change to the character meal experience. I ordered the Tangled Eggs and Chris ordered King Triton's Shipwreck.

Then, the characters started coming around!

We really loved this breakfast and definitely recommend this breakfast.

If you are interested in a free, no obligation quote, please contact me! My services are free when you book your vacation with me. All you need to do is pack your bags...and I can even help with that!

Walt Disney World Dining Review: Tusker House

 

One of the easier character dining experiences to get a reservation for is Tusker House in Animal Kingdom. It is located in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom and features Mickey Mouse and friends in their safari gear. It is a buffet and has a selection of African inspired foods. Now, don't let that scare you away. It is a buffet and it has plenty of options.

Characters came around quickly and the restaurant was not packed.

Basmati rice and curry, falalphel, tabouli salad, pita - I forgot to take a picture of the meat

A dessert selection that we shared---get the bread pudding!

Goofy was ready to go fishing!

Mickey was ready to hit Kilimanjaro Safari

Donald is my #1

Daisy rocks this safari outfit

I urge you to go to Tusker House and enjoy some time with Mickey and pals!

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1900 Park Fare at The Grand Floridian Resort

1900 Park Fare is a character buffet restaurant at The Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World Resort that features a wide variety of dishes. During the dinner service, you can meet Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Drizella and Anastasia.

We had one of the first available dinner reservations for the dinner seating and we had plenty of time to go through the buffet line one time before the characters started making their rounds. We went to the buffet a second time after we met a couple of characters. The characters took a break and Chris went to the dessert bar to get us a plate to share. The only thing we didn't enjoy from the buffet was the lemon tart.

You can take a look at the food here first....

A signature dish, the strawberry bisque!

Catfish, Butternut squash ravioli, mashed potatoes, creamy chicken, cheese tortellini, broccoli salad

Blue Glowtini

Salmon, Jasmine Rice, Prime Rib, Mongolian Beef, Catfish and Mashed Potatoes

Our shared dessert plate-gummy bears, rice crispy treat, brownie, cannoli, and a lemon tart

Rum Swirl

And we got to meet the characters too!

Prince Charming mostly talked about how lovely Cinderella looked

 

Cinderella wondered if Gus Gus had been nibbling off the buffet

 

Lady Tremaine was discussing the difficulties of living in the castle

 

Anastasia wondered if she had the prettiest dress

 

Drizella asked if I was happy with my prince.

1900 Park Fare is not to be missed if you are staying at The Grand Floridian or if you love Cinderella.

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How to Park at Walt Disney World Theme Parks

If you have never driven to one of the Walt Disney World parks, it can be a bit intimidating as you are pulling into the parking lot. There are people EVERYWHERE, lots of moving cars, lots of excitement.

But if you follow these five tips, parking will be a breeze.

1. Follow the parking attendant's instructions.
You will be directed to follow the car in front of you and park next to them.

2. Wait until the car behind you parks next to you to open your car doors.
When you stop your car, another car will be pulling up next to you momentarily. Waiting for the car next to you to park will ensure your safety, the safety of the parking attendant and the safety of others.

3. When you are out of your car, make sure to walk in front the parked cars.
Moving cars will be behind your parked car and by walking in front of the row where you parked, that gives you some distance between yourself and moving cars.

4. Walk!
No one wants to start the day with a scraped knee or busted lip.

5. Take a picture of the sign where you parked your car.
Trams will drop you off at the end of the day and taking a quick picture of your parking lot row will keep you from walking any extra at the end of the day.

And those are my 5 tips for parking at Walt Disney World! Enjoy the parking trams...they are my favorite form of Disney transportation!

Are you planning on driving to Walt Disney World?

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