Are you thinking about taking your family on a Disney vacation to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, on a Disney Cruise, or to some other destination? If you are, give me a call or shoot me an email — I can help you out! I am an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Pixie Vacations, and I specialize in helping families like yours plan and enjoy a wonderful vacation to a Disney location. I’ve been a Pixie for over two years now, and during that time I’ve helped many families have a wonderful vacation and create many memories that they remember to this day. Feel free to check out my Client Testimonial page for more information on that. As an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I can help you plan your trip to any of these great Disney Destinations:
My services to you are absolutely free, so if you would like more information on what it will take to get you and your family to a Disney park near you, please give me a call at 919-606-6725, email me at Mike@PixieVacations.com, or click here to generate a quote request for me. Thanks, and remember, at My Dreams of Disney, our goal is to help you turn My Dreams of Disney into Your Dreams of Disney!
This shot is not deliberately upside down by some trick — this shot was taken while we were upside down!
Piggy-backing on yesterday’s post on California Screamin’, we’ve got a poll for you today. Thinking about all of the Disney roller coasters you have experienced in your life, whether it be at the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure Park, Disneyland Paris, and so on, what is your absolute favorite roller coaster? There are several to choose from, of course. You’ve got Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Expedition Everest, California Screamin’, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and the list goes on. Have a look at our poll, we’ve included several options to choose from, as well as an option to choose your own.
This is an open poll, so it won’t close, and you should be able to choose your own answer if ours doesn’t fit in what you are looking for, so have at it! Of course, the Disney parks aren’t like the Six Flags and the Carowinds of the world, so chances are there may be roller coasters at other amusement parks you like better — but for us, we want to know which is your favorite Disney roller coaster, so let us know your thoughts, and thanks!
On September 8, 2010, I started this Disney blog. It’s initial purpose was to document the memories I had of trips I had taken to Walt Disney World, so that I could use this fun medium to keep a historical record of my visits. My introductory post is linked here, for those that wish to read the drivel I was writing back then! Five years is a lot of posts — this is post number 1,655 since that first day — so I hope you enjoy a look at some of my favorites!
As the years have progressed, my journey into the world of Disney Fan Sites has led me on some incredible journeys, and I’ve met some incredible people, some of whom are my friends to this day. On this special 5th Anniversary post, I am taking a little time to introduce to you some of my favorite posts, but these are also some of your favorite posts as well, at least, based on some of the feedback I’ve received over the years. Sit back, relax, and enjoy our look down memory lane, as we explore My Dreams of Disney through the years.
Tanya’s Tips for being selected as First Family at Disney
On April 29, 2013, my friend Tanya, who responded to a post I wrote to see if anyone had an interest in writing for My Dreams of Disney, wrote an incredible post about the time that her family was selected to be the First Family at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. It was — and still is — a very popular post, because being the First Family at one of the parks means that you are selected to open the gates for the day, and it’s a fun adventure that your whole family can enjoy. It takes some luck, and it takes some thought out processes to make this happen, so check out Tanya’s post to learn her tips on what it took for them.
The Disney Apps I roll with
On March 30, 2013, I was asked what my favorite Disney Apps were for my phone. In thinking it through, I came up with a list that, while certainly is in need of an update, is still pretty good in my opinion. Have a look at it, and see if any of those apps are on your phone.
The Lands of the Magic Kingdom
One of my first projects on the site, after I documented my early trips, was to start a series of posts about the different lands in the Magic Kingdom. Of course, when I started this, there were 7 lands in the Magic Kingdom — but now, there are only six because of the Fantasyland expansion. However, I still have pages about the missing land, so go check out the page and let me know which one was closed!
Disney Music on #YouTube — Frozen
For me, one of the best things about the hit Disney movie Frozen was the music. It struck such a chord in me that I wrote several posts about it and the impact that it had in my life. All of that culminated in this post, which drew a lot of interest. In case you missed it, go check it out and let me know what you think of it!
Why Walt Disney World is better than Disneyland — or Why Disneyland is better than Walt Disney World
In July 2013, my family made our first trip to Disneyland — and had an incredible time! Out of that trip became an endless debate — which is better, Walt Disney World or Disneyland? To try and answer that question, I wrote two posts — one on why Disneyland is better than Walt Disney World, and another on why Walt Disney World is better than Disneyland. These are certainly polarizing posts, with each of us having our favorites, so check them out and tell us which is your favorite!
Throughout the years, a lot of things have come and gone — and in some ways, the Disney focus on our blog has waned a bit at times. However, throughout all of that, one thing still stands — we love the incredible legacy that Walt Disney built, and my family to this day, loves going to Walt Disney World. I don’t know exactly when our next trip to a Disney park will be, but until that time, we’ll spend some time here on the site sharing with you our favorite aspects of the world of Disney.
Until next time, I wish to thank each and every one of you, my dear readers, for visiting with us, and for choosing us to help you get your Disney Fix.
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to eat at a lot of restaurants that are part of Disney World. There are so many places to eat, you really can’t go wrong. As impossible as my title seems, I’m going to give it my best effort and give you my top ten places to eat. I’m going to count down from ten.
At number ten, I give you … The Pinocchio Village Haus
This quick service restaurant serves up standard fare — pizza, chicken nuggets, sandwiches, etc., but what makes this place good to me is the location. Situated behind Cinderella’s Castle, right next to it’s a small world, this location even has windows that look down into the launch area for the popular attraction. Couple that with it’s Old World charm, and it becomes a place for us to eat at least once per trip.
Sitting at number nine is the Liberty Inn
Located over at the American Adventure pavilion on the World Showcase at Epcot, this quick service restaurant, like Pinocchio Village Haus before, serves standard American food such as hot dogs and hamburgers. However, what makes this place a really great place to eat is the large, open courtyard seating — which holds probably 200 people (although I don’t have exact numbers). Additionally, there is an old style military band that plays periodically in the courtyard, and they are well worth the wait if you decide to stay and listen to them.
At number eight in my list is the Flame Tree Barbeque, located over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
The Flame Tree is one of the best quick service restaurants in all of Disney. This restaurant serves up a lot of great food at a good price. We don’t eat here every year because some trips we only make one trip over to Animal Kingdom, and often we have a big dinner planned somewhere else that day, so we don’t want to overeat. However, if you ever have the chance, check out the Flame Tree!
Ohana is Hawaiian for family, and as a result, a meal at ‘Ohana is served family style. We ate there in 2009 for breakfast, and had a wonderful selection of sausages, waffles, eggs, fruits, biscuits, and other delightful dishes. The character breakfast also included visits by Lilo, Stitch, Mickey Mouse, and Pluto, with numerous photo opportunities and autograph sessions. It was a great meal breakfast, and we enjoyed it immensely.
At number six in my countdown, we come to one of the true institutions of Disney — the Main Street Bakery
If you want a quick place to grab some good food, this is the place. Serving everything from yummy breakfast items like cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, and even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for picky eaters like Sophie, this is the place to be. One step inside the shop and you are inundated with all sorts of sweet smelling treats, just begging you to try one out. It was here where one of our Disney memories was created when Sophie was presented with her huge chocolate chip cookie, courtesy of Cinderella.
Now we have reached the top five in our list. Starting us off is the Liberty Tree Tavern at number five.
Located in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom, this restaurant was one of the ones that Cindy and I ate at when we were “eating our way through Disney” in January of 2001. At that time, and again when we took Sophie and Riley there for Sophie’s birthday, the Liberty Tree served dinner and also had character greetings with Chip and Dale, Minnie Mouse, and Pluto. At this point, though, looking at the page linked above, it doesn’t appear that there are any characters at the Liberty Tree. If that is the case, I might have to bump this down on the list some. However, the food is still delightful, and the deserts are really awesome!
The beauty of Cinderella’s Royal Table is in the details. A picture with Cinderella herself, with prints included in your meal. Going up the stairs of the Castle to a site in the dining room overlooking Fantasyland. A delicious meal, served with a Princess Wand for your little girl to make wishes with. Character greetings with other Disney characters (the list varies from time to time). It all adds up to a top five restaurant in my book. I imagine that I will receive some criticism that it is ranked “only” number four in my list, but the top three I have I believe are better.
The Crystal Palace continues to be on our list of restaurants to eat at every year. The place has it all: a fantastic building, an all-you-can-eat buffet, and best of all, character greetings from Winnie the Pooh and his friends Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore. What is better in your opinion — having Tigger ham it up for the camera, sticking his big snout closer to the camera, or getting a great one-on-one with Eeyore? Wait, I know what’s better — sharing the moment with your Cousin Stephanie, that’s what!
This restaurant is listed at number two on my list for several reasons: First, it all starts with a family picture with Belle — and the prints are included in the cost. Secondly, the Royal Banquet Hall is an incredible room, take a look at the link above to get an idea — but you’ve got to see it in person also! Third, the meal starts with a traditional Norwegian buffet of cheeses, meats, breads, and salad to get you started — this is so good I could almost just stick with that and call it good. However, then you get to choose one of several traditional dishes. You can check out the dinner menu here. The last time we ate, which was in June, I had the Traditional Kjottkake, and it was delicious! In addition to all of this, the meal we had in June included visits with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White (that was the first time we had ever seen her here, so that was a big treat!), and Ariel. If you have never eaten here, try it out — you will be happy you did!
And finally, my number one restaurant in all of Disney World to eat at…The Garden Grill Restaurant, located in The Land Pavilion at Epcot!
What makes this restaurant unique, and my (as well as Sophie’s) favorite is the circular nature of the restaurant. The restaurant itself spins ever so slightly, taking you in a 360 degree view of the Land Boat ride below. In addition to the coolness of that, you also will enjoy a family style dinner of flank steak, roast turkey, and sustainable fish (that varies), along with all of the fixings, and a delicious desert afterwards. To top it all off, you will be greeted by some of Sophie’s (and my) favorite characters: Chip and Dale, Mickey Mouse, and Pluto. This restaurant is such a favorite of Sophie’s that she has already told us that she plans on taking her date there when she is old enough to date! How’s that for planning ahead!
That, my friends, is my list of my top ten restaurants to eat at Disney World. In addition to my top ten, I am also including my honorable mentions here. These are restaurants that I have enjoyed, but not enough to visit them every year or two. If you haven’t tried these out, I recommend them as well! There really isn’t a bad restaurant in all of Disney!
50’s Prime Time Cafe
Cape May Cafe
Captain’s Grille
Chef Mickey’s
Pepper Market
Sassagoula Float Works and Factory Food Court
All of these restaurants are quite good for various reasons, whether it be for the cuisine, culture, selection, or location, but just not good enough to make my top ten.
Before I leave you, I think I should point out that most of these restaurants would not have been enjoyed by us except that we choose to take advantage of the Disney Dining Plan. If you can do it, I recommend it. Some people claim that it isn’t as good a deal as it used to be, but I disagree. In a future post, I’ll talk up the plan.
Thank you for reading, and feel free to post any comments, or even your own top ten list!
