4 months to go!

If you haven't already, this is a good time to:

• Book your hotel reservation in our room block by calling 407-827-6799 between 8 am and 5 pm

• Make your advanced dining reservations

• Sign up to take the free Disney’s Magical Express from the airport by calling (407) WDW-MAGIC

• Buy tickets to Disney Christmas events you want to attend, such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party and the Candlelight Processional at Epcot

• Buy your park tickets online at the discounted rate (email me for the best rates).

• Book your flight if you are flying. Southwest is still having a sale and we have a discount code for American Airlines. 

A Grand place to stay

For the ultimate experience, guests at our wedding can also stay at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Most of the wedding weekend events will be held at or around this resort.

This Victorian-style deluxe resort has wonderful views of The Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon. Guests can take the monorail or a boat over to the park directly from the resort. The lobby is spectacular, with live music and a wonderful tea room. In December, the hotel will be decorated for Christmas, with a large Christmas tree and other surprises that make it a perfect place to celebrate the season.

Guests can take advantage of the beach and beach pool, with water slide. They also have preferred access to 5 championship Walt Disney World golf courses.

Guests can send their children on Disney’s Pirate Adventure cruise. Call (407) 939-3463 for more details on that adventure. Or, for those more interested in crumpets than pirates, they offer the Wonderland Tea Party.

The resort has numerous amenities, including the Ivy Trellis Salon and the Grand Floridian Health Club. There is a business center available from 7 am to 5 pm in the convention center.

It also hosts some of the best dining at Walt Disney World. At 1900 Park Fare, guests can enjoy a buffet breakfast with Mary Poppins, lunch with Alice and her friends from Wonderland, or dinner with Cinderella and her family. Narcoossee’s offers delicious seafood with a view of the Magic Kingdom. And when it’s time for the fireworks, they turn down the lights and play the same music that is playing in the park!

On the patio outside of Narcoossee's. 

  

For a more casual dining experience, try the Grand Floridian Café. We ate there on our planning trip and the food was great. I especially recommend the chicken with risotto and the dessert sampler. =)

And for foodies looking for an extra special dining experience, consider Victorian & Albert’s, winner of the AAA Five Diamond award. Guests indulge in a 2 to 2.5 hour meal that includes 6 courses.

As always, transportation is provides to all of the Disney parks. 

Our discounted rate here is $382.50/night including tax. They charge $25 extra per person per night for more than 2 adults per room. Theme park view rooms are available for an extra fee. I recommend booking soon if you want to stay here for the wedding, as the rooms will fill up quickly. Just call 407-827-6799 and tell them you are attending our wedding to book with our rate. Let me know if you have any questions.

Christmas by Candlelight

Looking for more Christmas magic at Disney? The Candlelight Dining Package for the Candlelight Processional and VIP viewing of the fireworks at Epcot just went on sale today.

The Candlelight processional is a retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and choir. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/candlelight-processional/

Some of the narrators during our visit include Olivia Newton John – December 14-16 and Trace Adkins December 20-22. They have not announced the narrator for Dec 17-19 yet.

Anyone can view the show, but if you want to make sure you get seats (the regular line up starts more than 2 hours in advance for limited seating), you can book a candlelight dinner package. This is a really popular event. If you think you want to book it, you will want to book it soon. 

The name is misleading, as it can also be for lunch. The restaurant options include:

• Biergarten Restaurant
• Coral Reef Restaurant
• The Garden Grill Restaurant (dinner only)
• La Hacienda de San Angel (dinner only)
• Les Chefs de France
• Le Cellier Steakhouse (lunch only)
• Nine Dragons Restaurant
• Restaurant Marrakesh
• Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
• San Angel Inn
• Teppan Edo
• Tokyo Dining
• Tutto Italia Ristorante
• Via Napoli

Your meal includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage (or one buffet where available). Lunch packages range from $33-56 for adults and $12.50-18 for children. Dinner packages range from $50-67 for adults and $14.50-27 for children. Park tickets are required to enter Epcot.

To book, call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463, or you can book online.

Our favorite places to eat at… Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is a great place to shop and eat, especially since you don’t need a ticket to get in. There is free transportation from all Disney hotels to the area and it’s a great place to wander around. There will also be a lot of Christmas decorations and activities there in December. Last year, Santa was there.

There are all sorts of dining options depending on your mood and how much time you want to spend on dining. If you are looking for a quick bite, I recommend the Earl of Sandwich. It is a bit like a Panera, in that you can get soups and sandwiches from the counter. They offer a bunch of hot ones and I got fruit and cookies there with mine.

If you want a fun treat, check out the Ghirardelli SodaFountain & Chocolate Shop. For mum and I no trip to Downtown Disney is complete without a sundae from there. The wait can be long and the place tends to be busy, but it is worth it. Also, go in the shop, they give free samples of the chocolate and it is always a full square of Ghirardelli chocolate. Yum!

For dining reservations, you have a ton of options. If you want something with a lot of character (though a bit of a wait) there is a Rainforest Café here, and a place I’ve yet to visit called T-Rex, from the same parent company. Like its predecessor, T-Rex also has animatronics in its décor, this time its dinosaurs! Both are likely to have waits even with reservations. It’s rarely a good idea to try to just walk up to get a table.

Mum and I rather enjoy going to Planet Hollywood. You get to skip most of the line if you have a reservation. If you have never been, it’s a lot like a Hard Rock Café, as there is movie memorabilia everywhere. They have a huge appetizer sampler that we’ve ordered instead of a meal before which includes chicken crunch, buffalo wings, Texas tostadas, and spinach dip ($20). They have burgers ($12), fajitas ($17), pasta ($16), salmon ($22), and tons more. They also have a bunch of desserts for $7 each or a sampler for $10. This is a great place if everyone wants something different for dinner. They don’t have much for vegetarians though.

The House of Blues Restaurant just redid its menu, so I can’t speak to how it tastes, but sometimes there is live music there. Prices run about $13 for burgers or sandwiches, around $20 for other entrees, including Lobster Mac & Cheese. Appetizers include flatbreads ($12), chicken wings ($10), and pulled pork sliders ($10). They also have a bunch of salads (with meat around $15, without $6-10).

I am determined to try out the Wolfgang Puck Café one of these visits. The menu includes pizzas ($15), pastas ($16-20), sandwiches ($13-17), and a sushi bar. The lunch menu also has bacon wrapped meatloaf ($19), oven roasted salmon ($27), and chicken pot pie ($19). The sandwiches are exchanged for more entrees at dinner time.

There are lots of other great places to eat. For a full list, go here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/downtown-disney/dining/

Our favorite places to eat at… Epcot

 If you are looking for great places to eat at Disney, look no further than Epcot. You can find pretty much any food you could imagine there, and most of it will be superb. I will hit some of my favorite places here, but there are definitely a ton of great places. To see the full list, go here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/dining/

The birthday cupcake they gave me at Akershus

’ll start with the awesome character dining experience that Brian and I experienced last time we went to Epcot. We had lunch on my birthday at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Located in the Norway Pavilion in the World Showcase, Akershus feels like a castle inside. Upon entering, you get your picture taken with a princess. We were lucky and Belle was the main princess the day we visited. Other princesses will then visit your table throughout your meal and pose for pictures and give autographs. Breakfast is a traditional American breakfast. At lunch and dinner you pick an entrée such as salmon cakes, mushroom stuffed pasta, oven-roasted chicken breast, and seared herb-dusted beef tips. You are also served special desserts. They have a more typical children’s menu as well. The cost is between $36 and $60. You have to give a credit card for this reservation.

If you like seafood, you can check out the Coral Reef Restaurant, in the Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion. Here you can dine with an underwater view of the Caribbean Coral Reef. They have an appetizer sampler for two which includes crab cakes, crispy-friend shrimp, and a taste of their creamy lobster soup for $17.  Entrees include Lobster Pasta ($26.49), Scottish Salmon ($23), Seared Chicken Breast ($22), and Vegetable-Potato Strudel ($19).

Mum and I went there in 2007. 

One place I try to visit every time I go to Disney is Les Chefs de France. This is one of two table-service restaurants in the France Pavilion of the World Showcase. They have all the awesome French dishes you might hope for, such as escargot ($13) and Quiche Lorraine ($15). One of the best things is their Prix Fixe 3 course menu. At lunch it is $24 and includes a either lobster bisque or French onion soup, followed by croquet monsieur, quiche Lorraine, or gratin de macaroni and your choice of dessert. (This may change by the time of the wedding, but this gives you an idea.) At dinner, the menu is $40 but includes fancier, and larger, dishes such as beef short ribs, roasted chicken, or broiled salmon. Also, 4 times per day Remy from Ratatouille visits with guests in the dining room.

If you want a truly elegant meal, you can go upstairs for dinner in France to the Bistro de Paris. Entrees are around $40 each or there is a Prix Fix menu for $59 that includes multiple courses. They have a dress code that prohibits tank tops, swimwear, and hats for men. Window-side tables have a really neat view if you can get one.

There are lots of other places to eat, at least one in each country in the World Showcase. For example, in the German Pavilion you could check out the Biergarten Restaurant, which is popular for its atmosphere and beer. If you want a steak, check out Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada Pavilion. They also have a 3 course Prixe Fix menu at lunch for $29. It even includes vegetarian options!

Feel free to post other recommendations based on where you have eaten. I have to admit I’ve mostly stuck with France and the Living Seas, although I once had a so/so meal at one of the Italian places. 

Our favorite places to eat at… Hollywood Studios

My favorite place to eat at Hollywood Studios is more about the atmosphere than the food. The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is made up of tables shaped like convertible cars facing a big screen showing clips from 50s and 60s sci-fi movies and some fun old cartoons. It’s a nice place to cool off on a hot day and doesn’t require a credit card for a reservation. The have milk shakes for $4.69, chicken wings for $11.49, sandwiches and burgers with fries for around $15, and a vegetable burger with cucumber salad or sweet potato fries for $12.49.

Another quirky place I have had fun at is the 50’s Prime Time Café. When you enter you are treated like guests at Mom’s dinner table and if you do things she wouldn’t approve of, like putting your elbows on the table, she’ll make you sit in the corner. We actually had one of the cast members “punish” someone in our group last time, but I don’t remember the details. The dishes are mostly comfort food, like Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes ($17), Dad’s Traditional Meatloaf ($16), Grandma’s Chicken Pot Pie ($18), and Spaghetti with Vegetarian “Meatballs” ($16). They also have Chicken Noodle Soup ($6.49) and S’mores ($5). They also don’t require a credit card for a reservation.

If you want to dine with characters at Hollywood Studios, then you want to eat at Hollywood & Vine. Disney Junior characters (such as Jake the Neverland pirate, Handy Manny, and Special Agent Oso) join guests for sing-alongs at breakfast and lunch buffets. The food is typical American fare and run $15 to $36. Dinner is quieter and includes more on-stage cooking stations. The price for dinner runs $36 to $60. The dinner buffet can be part of a Fantasmic! Dining Package, which gives you designated seating during the firework show at the park. To book that package, call (407) WDW-DINE up to 180 days in advance. They do require a credit card for a reservation and the cancelation policy is in effect.

The two other options for table service are the fancy Hollywood Brown Derby and the casual Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano. Both can be booked as part of a Fantasmic! Dining Package.

For a complete list of dining options at Hollywood Studios, go here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/dining

Our favorite places to eat at… Animal Kingdom

My personal favorite place to eat at Animal Kingdom is not the best reviewed, but I still love it. Right outside the entrance of the park there is a Rainforest Café. This one is much easier to get into than the one in Downtown Disney and is a fun stop right after the park closes, if you don’t mind the loud atmosphere. It is a chain restaurant with waterfalls and animatronic animals making up the décor. One of the reasons I love it is the menu is huge. There are burgers (veggie and meat) for around $13 with a side of potato chips. Pizza runs about $15 and BBQ chicken $16. I tend to get the Paradise Pot Roast ($19). Wow, I eat pot roast a lot on vacation. =) I know dad and I really enjoyed their seafood last time we went. They have a steak and shrimp entrée for $27. And if you go with a group, the Sparkling Volcano dessert is nuts ($14).

Brian and I at Animal Kingdom.

If you want an in-park table-service meal there are two options. Tusker House Restaurant offers a buffet with African cuisine at lunch and dinner, as well as more familiar choices. Safari Donald Duck and some of his friends appear at breakfast, which includes waffles, scrambled eggs, honey-glazed ham, cereal, bacon, and all sorts of other dishes. He also attends lunch, which has more African flair. Lunch and dinner both can include hummus and baba ghanoush, various salads, sliced meat, couscous salad, fresh fruit, a vegetarian table (Marrakesh couscous, Vegetable samaosa, Spiced Tandoori Tofu, Jollaf rice, and Pearl couscous with sweet basil essence), rotisserie chicken, curry chicken, basmati rice, and more. Prices vary between $15 and $36

The other option is the Yak & Yeti Restaurant, which gets good reviews and has a cozier atmosphere. This is a Pan-Asian restaurant near Mount Everest in the park. Enjoy a dim sum basket for 2 for $14 or PEI mussels (one of our favorite things) for $10.50. Entrees include Sweet & Sour Chicken ($17), Duck with Anandapur Glaze ($22), Tempura Shrimp ($20), and Stir-Fried Beef & Broccoli ($17). You can also get fried wontons or mango pie for dessert. This is not the best choice for vegetarians.

For a complete list of dining options at Animal Kingdom, go here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/animal-kingdom/dining/

Our favorite places to eat at… The Magic Kingdom

I’ll start my restaurant recommendations at the happiest place on earth with the first park. After years of exploration, my family and I have decided that the Liberty Tree Tavern is the ideal place for lunch in the park. Located in Liberty Square, which is nestled between Fantasyland and Adventureland, the tavern has a nice centralized location. It’s really close the The Haunted Mansion, a must see on any trip the The Magic Kingdom. And it doesn't require a credit card to make the reservation!

I love their New England Clam Chowder ($6.99) and almost always get the New England Pot Roast served with mashed potatoes and garden vegetables ($17.99). They also have an Angus Chuck Chesseburger with fruit or fries ($13.99).  They even have Roast Turkey served with herb bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a garden vegetable ($15.99) or salads for the more health conscious ($5.49). For vegetarians, there is also a vegan burger which can come with fruit or sweet potato fries ($11.49). At dinner, they serve a family-style feast, with turkey, carved beef, and sliced pork for $35.99. 

We saw this parade right outside of the Liberty Tree Tavern.

There are two character dining restaurants in The Magic Kingdom. The Crystal Palace offers a buffet with the gang from Winnie the Pooh. The price level tends to be $15 for kids and $35.99 for adults from breakfast or lunch, and then $36 to $59.99 at dinner, but the prices sometimes go up around the holidays. Guests must give a credit card to make a reservation here.

If you want to dine with princesses in The Magic Kingdom, then you want to eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table which is inside the castle. Meals here include a photo package and the princesses will come around to your table. Meals here run $36 to $59.99 no matter when you go. (I would recommend the princess meal at Epcot over this, unless you really want to eat in the castle or are only going to The Magic Kingdom). You have to prepay for this meal with a credit card.

The other two places that take advance dining reservations are The Plaza Restaurant and Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. The Plaza has sandwiches and salads for $10.99 to 16.99 which includes a side. Tony’s is inspired by The Lady and the Tramp and has sandwiches, pastas, and flatbread for under $20 most of the day and a steak at dinner for $28.99. You can make a reservation at either of these two without a credit card.

Here’s a list of all the places to eat (counter and table service) in The Magic Kingdom: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/dining/

Feel free to comment with your own thoughts on any of these places. I am hoping to try somewhere new on my honeymoon, as I can’t remember the last time I ate anywhere other than the Liberty Tree Tavern at this park. Though, pot roast does sound tasty… 

200 days to go!

Which means that if you are staying at a Walt Disney World resort for our wedding you can make dining reservations soon. Those staying at a Disney resort can book them over the phone 180 days in advance of your arrival by calling (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463). Otherwise, you can book them online http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/ or by phone starting at 180 days in advance of each dining reservation.

Me at Narcossee's during our site visit last summer

Many Disney table-service restaurants are busy enough that they do not have same-day walk-up availability, so it is a good idea to make a reservation if you want to guarantee a spot at a given restaurant. This is especially true for some of the specialty restaurants such as Cinderella’s Royal Table in the castle at the Magic Kingdom.

Some locations require prepayment in advance, using a credit card:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/cinderellas-royal-table/
• Hoop Dee Doo Revue  - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hoop-de-doo-musical-revue/
• Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/disneys-spirit-of-aloha-dinner-show/
• Mickey’s Backyard BBQ - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/mickeys-backyard-barbeque-dinner-show/

A number of other restaurants require you to use a credit card to book, but they will only charge you if you are a no show and have not canceled at least a day in advance. The charge is $10 for person. Again, this is only if you don’t show up or cancel the reservation. These restaurants include:

• 1900 Park Fare - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/1900-park-fare/
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/akershus/
• Artist Point - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/artist-point/
• California Grill - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/california-grill/
• Cape May Café - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/cape-may-cafe/
• Chef Mickey’s - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/chef-mickeys/
• Cítricos - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/citricos/
• Crystal Palace - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/the-crystal-palace/
• Flying Fish Café - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/flying-fish-cafe/
• Garden Grill - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/garden-grill/
• Hollywood & Vine - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-and-vine/
• Hollywood Brown Derby - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-brown-derby/
• Jiko - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/jiko-the-cooking-place/
• Le Cellier - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/tusker-house/
• Narcoossee’s - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/narcoossees/
• ‘Ohana - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ohanas/
• Tusker House - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/tusker-house/
• Victoria & Albert’s (cancellation policy is $25/per person) - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/victoria-and-alberts/
• Yachtsman Steakhouse - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/yachtsman-steakhouse/

Some of these are the best places to eat at Disney, so do not let the credit card guarantee scare you off, just remember to cancel your reservation if you cannot make it. Also note that Disney will not let you make multiple reservations for the same meal, since you can only keep one.

I will do some posts on my favorite places to eat at each park as well as at the wedding hotels soon. Feel free to post any questions about dining reservations here if you have them.