Disney World Food

FAVORITE FAST SERVICE PLACES TO EAT:

Hollywood Studios – Along Sunset Boulevard (everything from pizza and salads to BBQ sandwiches and hot dogs)

Magic Kingdom – Tomorrowland and Frontierland (BBQ sandwich is my favorite)  On Main street, at the Candy shop, stop and get a Caramel Apple.  We had Minnie Mouse and it was the best!!  Make sure to also try a Dole Whip in Adventureland!

Epcot – Each country has a different stand.  Sunshine Seasons (The Land)

Animal Kingdom – Asia was my kids favorite

Downtown Disney – Earl of Sandwich

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS:

Magic Kingdom – Be Our Guest, Cinderella’s Castle

Epcot – Le Cellier Steakhouse (Canada), Japan,

Animal Kingdom – Tusker House

Hollywood Studios – Hollywood and Vines, Sci Fi Dine-In Theater

In Resorts – Chef Mickey (Contemporary), Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (Polynesian), 1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian), Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (Fort Wilderness Campsite)

Downtown Disney – Fulton’s Steak House

Helpful Hints for traveling to Walt Disney World!

Helpful Hints for traveling to Walt Disney World!

 

 

1.        FASTPASS –  They are easy to use and can cut the wait time on many of the most popular attractions.  Rides you should definitely use a Fastpass are are:

Magic Kingdom – Dumbo, Barnstormer, Space Mtn, Thunder Mtn, Splash Mtn, Voyage of the Little Mermaid (new), Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh

Epcot – Test Track, Soarin’

Hollywood Studios – Toy Story Midway Mania (make sure to get right when you get to the park or they will run out!), Rock ‘n Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror

Animal Kingdom – Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest

*Make the most of the Fastpass by getting a new one as soon as it is available (time listed on ticket).  For example if your return to Dumbo time is 1:00 – 2:00.  At 1:00, before you go to Dumbo, head to another ride and get a fastpass for that and then ride Dumbo.

*You can only have one Fastpass at a time so choose wisely your order of wanting them.   

2.       COMPANION PASS –  For families with older and younger kids, like myself, this is a great feature Disney offers.  (Or one kid that likes rides and the other that doesn’t….)  Here is how it works!!!  One parent can take the kids that are old enough (or want) to go on a certain ride, like Test Track.  When they head in the ride, ask the Disney attendant for a Companion Pass.  This pass will allow the person not riding with the kids to take the kids that want to ride again after they get done and not have to wait in line.  We love this for two reasons.  Both parents get to ride each ride and the kids love it because then they get to ride the ride TWICE!!  My two older ones are hoping that the younger ones never get to the age that they can ride or else we will all only get to do it once without waiting in line again. 

3.       PHOTOPASS – This year, I purchased the PHOTOPASS+ card.  If you buy it on their website, www.disneyphotopass.com, 14 days or more before you travel to Disney, you get a $50 discount on the pass.  I love this as it enables me to enjoy the trip and not worry about taking photos the whole time.  It also allows for me to be in photos that I probably wouldn’t of been in if I would have had to take them all. 

*Advantage of the Photopass+, you also get all the attraction photos and dinner package photos included.

4.        NIGHTTIME – If your kids can last till later at night, lines are best then.  You can usually walk on to rides that in mid-afternoon would be a 30-60 minute wait.  Also, if you fortunate enough to be the last person to see a character at night, you usually get a special treat.  This has happened to us twice.  My son got a photo with Donald, Daisy, Chip and Dale all together!  And my four kids got to go on an adventure with Jasmine and Aladdin through Epcot to look for Abu. 

5.       PARADE/SPECIAL EVENTS – A MUST!!!  Our favorite part of Disney!  Check each parks schedule for their times!  My favorites are at the Magic Kingdom and I would suggest sitting on Main Street for all of them.  Get their early to get a front row seat!

6.       DISNEY CHASE CARD – If you open a Disney VISA through Chase, you get a special Meet and Greet at Epcot with two Characters.  We did it twice …. Once with Minnie and Goofy and the other time with Mickey and Pluto.  You get to go in a special room and take as much time as you want with them!  This is located in the Innovention’s building.

7.       DISNEY WORLD CROWD CALENDAR – if you have the ability to be flexible with the timing of traveling to Disney, this is a great website to check out.  http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar  It gives you on a scale of 1-10 how busy each park is going to be each day. 

8.       PARK HOPPER OPTIONS – Enjoy the flexibility of visiting more than one park on the same day.  We do not use this option but it is great for people that want to travel to more than one park each day.  One year we did it and then ate every night in Epcot as they have the best restaurants. 

9.       EXTENDED PARK HOURS – if you stay on the Disney Property, you get the option for extended hours at a different park each day.  There are advantages of being able to go into a park early or stay late but a disadvantage is that that park is usually very busy that day because of this.  Sometimes it is better to head to a different park instead. 

10.  OUTSIDE FOOD - you can bring beverages and snacks into the park with you.  I would definitely suggest this.  We brought a small cooler with waters, juice boxes, ham, etc and also some fruit snacks, chips, popcorn.  It was great for when we were waiting in lines.  

Want to meet 50+ Characters at Disney…. Here is how!

Want to meet 50+ Characters at Disney…. Here is how!

 

 

MICKEY MOUSE – Right when you enter Magic Kingdom, go into the Town Square.  Other places to see him are The Magic of Disney Animation (Hollywood Studios).  While there, you can also see, MR. INCREDIBLE and FROZONE.  Plus one other hit Disney movie…  March 2013, it is WRECK IT RALPH and VANELLOPE.

Outside in Animation Courtyard (at Hollywood Studios) you can see HANDY MANNY and JAKE from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.   I have heard that DOC McSTUFFIN and SOFIA the FIRST will be joining them in the near future. 

Other Characters to see at Hollywood Studios include PHINEAS and FERB (located by Mama Melrose’s Ristorante),  MIKE and SULLEY (By Backlot Tour), WOODY and BUZZ (across from the Toy Story Mania Ride) and MATER and LIGHTNING McQUEEN (by Streets of America)

If you want a fun Breakfast at Hollywood Studios, eat at Hollywood and Vine with AGENT OSO, JUNE, HANDY MANNY and JAKE. 

Back at Magic Kingdom, in Town Square by Mickey, you will also find some of the Princesses.  You can see CINDERELLA, AURORA and RAPUNZEL.  Other great places to see the princesses are at one of two breakfasts.  There is a Princess Breakfast in Cinderella’s Castle and there is also a breakfast in Norway at Epcot.  Princesses you will see at the breakfasts include: CINDERELLA, AURORA, SNOW WHITE, JAZMINE and ARIEL. 

Other Characters that could be handing out in Town Square are DOPEY, MARIE, PLUTO and GOOFY.  Behind Cinderella’s Castle is another great spot to see some famous faces.  We ran into LADY TREMAINE, DRIZELLA and ANASTASIA.  The FAIRY GODMOTHER loves this location too.   Then head towards Alice’s Teacups and you could run into ALICE herself, the WHITE RABBIT and TWEEDLE DEE AND TWEEDLE DUM.  Don’t mistake the WHITE RABBIT for POOH’s RABBIT friend who you can find right around the corner at the Pooh Ride with POOH and TIGGER!

As you enter Adventureland (MK) keep a look out for PETER PAN!  There is also a great little spot where you can be turned into fairies to meet TINKER BELL, ROSETTA and some of their other fairy friends.  By the Magic Carpet of Aladdin you should find ALADDIN and JASMINE.  Sometimes the GENIE makes an appearance too.  In Frontierland (between Splash and Thunder Mountain) hidden behind the play area, JESSIE and WOODY like to sign autographs.   You can find BUZZ next to his ride in Tomorrowland.

In the new Fantasyland, GASTON waits by his Tavern for photos.  You can see the BEAST if you eat at his new castle and BELLE is available for photos at the Enchanted Tales with Belle.  Pete’s Silly…… has characters ranging from MINNIE, DONALD, GOOFY and PLUTO.   There is a great Meet and Great for ARIEL right next to her new ride!

Another great spot to see MICKEY, MINNIE, DONALD, DAISY, GOOFY and PLUTO are at Epcot at the Character Spot.  It is a great way to stand in one line and see them all!!!  Outside of the Character Spot on your way to The Land, you will find CHIP and DALE playing in the bushes.   Make sure to check for Characters outside of Imagination! as they are not listed but we ran into ALICE, CINDERELLA and her STEPMOTHER LADY TREMAINE  there. 

Around the worlds at Epcot is another great place to see some of the characters.  DONALD DUCK is in Mexico!  You will also find MULAN at China, SNOW WHITE in Germany, JASMINE and ALADDIN in Morocco, AURORA in France and MARY POPPINS, ALICE in WONDERLAND, POOH and TIGGER in the United Kingdom.  We managed to be Jasmine and Aladdin’s last family one night and they took us on an adventure through Epcot looking for Abu.  What a Magical Moment we will never forget!

Characters are also located throughout Animal Kingdom.  Definitely stop by Camp Minnie-Mickey!  You will find PLUTO and GOOFY in DinoLand.  Pocahontas is usually in Asia somewhere.  If you travel out to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, you will be surprised by characters such as JIMINY CRICKET, RAFIKI himself and others.  Across from It’s Tough to be a Bug! down by the water, you can find POOH, TIGGER and EEYORE! 

There are several locations throughout Walt Disney World where you can eat meals with the characters.  Here are some of my favorites:

CHEF MICKEY (Contemporary Resort) – MICKEY, MINNIE, DONALD, GOOFY and PLUTO

HOLLYWOOD and VINES (Hollywood Studios) – JAKE, AGENT OSO, JUNE and HANDY MANNY

BE OUR GUEST (Magic Kingdom) – THE BEAST

CINDERELLA’S ROYAL TABLE (Magic Kingdom) – CINDERELLA, SNOW WHITE, AURORA, JASMINE & ARIEL

TUSKER HOUSE RESTAURANT (Animal Kingdom) – MICKEY, MINNIE, DONALD, DAISY

CRYSTAL PALACE (Magic Kingdom) – POOH, EEYORE and TIGGER

1900 PARK FARE (Grand Floridian) – MARY POPPINS, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, PRINCE CHARMING

*Some change for each meal so make sure to ask when you book your meals.  You can do so up to 180 days in advance so I would book early!

DISNEY CHASE CARD – If you open a Disney VISA through Chase, you get a special Meet and Greet at Epcot with two Characters.  We did it twice …. Once with MINNIE and GOOFY and the other time with MICKEY and PLUTO.  You get to go in a special room and take as much time as you want with them!  This is located in the Innovention’s building.