Located within Disney’s Contemporary Resort is a fantastic character buffet. Chef Mickey’s is a perfect complement to a day at Magic Kingdom.
The breakfast buffet is the way to go. There is evey breakfast staple and anything you could want. Reservations can be made 60 days prior to the first day of your Resort stay. Chef Mickey’s is open to everyone, it is not just for guests at the Contemporary. It is so convenient to get to from Magic Kingdom. It is about a 10 minute walk or an exciting trip on the monorail. I like to make a morning reservation and go before entering the park. Then we aren’t even hungry for lunch and have a few snacks to get to dinner. So it is definitely not taking up too much of your day.
Mickey and friends come and visit the table and it is one of the best spots in all of Disney World to get photos with them.
Every Disney Dad strives to make their daughter feel like a princess.
Located in Magic Kingdom, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a shop where little girls can be transformed into their favorite Disney Princess. Reservations are required so be sure to plan ahead.
There are several different packages available for purchase. Girls can also bring any dress they have from home. The packages can include hair, makeup and nail polish. The shop also has accessories like shoes, wands and crowns. Your princess can get a photo shoot after as well.
I know it sounds expensive. But it is a magical experience. The attention the boutique gives each child is special. And they feel special the rest of the day in their makeup and gown. My daughter chose Elsa and then used the costume for the next Halloween. And the photos are priceless.
Disney World Vacations are magical. They are wonderful. There is so much that goes into the vacation. Besides the obvious cost, there is the planning and researching, booking park and dining reservations and hours and effort spent just thinking about everything. But all that hard work is worth it. Disney Dads know that their family will create memories to last a lifetime. Disney Dads also know to not listen to the critics.
There are too many negative reviews and posts about Disney World. While there are things that go wrong, or ideas that don’t come to fruition, Disney World has the absolute best customer relations anywhere. There are so many people working there that love what they do and love to make your day magical. Disney has been in the game a long time now and they know what they are doing. So it frustrates me to read so many negative posts about them. They are mostly attention grabbing click bait stories. But they do influence people and it is sad that people might miss out on an experience because of something they read online.
The Disney Genie service is absolutely amazing. But I seem to read negative reviews and negative comments about it all the time. You can read my glowing review for a hopefully simplified explanation.
I have been inside Disney World many times. I have never experienced anything close to what some people complain about. Sometimes things go a little sideways, but the cast members are always so helpful. The performers in all the shows are always so great. They are energetic and engaging.
Animal Kingdom: Feathered Friends in Flight
My wife left her cell phone in a restroom. She went back in less than 5 minutes later and it was gone. I checked her location on my phone and it was at the front of the park. We walked over and retrieved it. My wife commented on how fast they recovered her phone and the cast member told us they have a great system. For them they just followed their procedure that was well designed. For us, it essentially saved our vacation.
On another occasion we were dining at Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios. Our reservation didn’t allow for much time to get to Fantasmic to get a good seat. So we were a little stressed when the kids wanted to wait for Vamparina and we must have just missed her when we came in. My wife simply asked the waitress if she knew when Vamparina would be back around because we wanted to get to Fantasmic. The waitress stepped away and came back with 4 printed Fastpass tickets for us. It was so wonderful.
This is one fun party. There are exclusive happenings and characters only available during the event. It is expensive. Expect to pay between $100 and $200 per person depending on the night. But it is well worth it.
First off, it is fun to be part of a special event. It feels like Magic Kingdom is throwing a party and I made the guest list. For all the Hocus Pocus fans there is always a performance in front of Cinderella’s Castle. There is also a distinct parade featuring a Halloween theme. Pre-covid, and likely returning again post-covid, there are exclusive character meetings. They have characters that are not available during normal hours.
Kids can wear costumes and trick or treat for candy. Which means they just walk around getting candy all night. We get a free souvenir reusable bag to collect their candy. We use them all the time.
Space Mountain does a special Halloween edition where it is in complete darkness. That is in one word, intense. It is an entirely different experience. And it is so much fun. There are also, of course, exclusive Halloween items, drinks and snacks.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party is a wonderful party. I would say it is even something to consider when planning a Disney World Vacation. If you are considering a late August to October time frame, keep this event in mind. It is something every Disney Dad should experience.
Disney World is the most magical place on earth. There is no better place to make memories with your children. Disney vacations also bring generations together. There are so many Disney World attractions that children can experience with their grandparents. It can really be a beautiful experience for everyone. One such attraction is The Carousel of Progress.
The Carousel of Progress was designed by Walt himself. It is a theater show using animatronics. The audience watches a family during various periods of the 20th century. The dad tells the guests what life is like at that time. It is really fun and informative. The dad is joined by other family members who help chronicle a day in the life. The whole production lasts about 25 minutes. Each scene is about 5 minutes or so. There is never much of a wait. It is a nice show to sit, cool off and relax. There is also an extremely catchy tune about how “there is a great big beautiful tomorrow”.
Many funny and unexpected things happen during a Disney World vacation. Some attractions or shows can elicit an emotional response. People share experiences that can really bond them. My son and my father had such a moment on the Carousel of Progress. My dad was never much for vacations, let alone amusement parks and crowds. But when we had children, he became a Disney Grandad. He wouldn’t ride coasters or thrill rides, but there were still so many things at Disney World he could ride with the kids. And my son and his Papa developed quite a bond. Papa unfortunately passed away in 2017. We continued vacationing at Disney World. On our third trip back, my son became emotional after Carousel of Progress. He said he really missed Papa during the show and he remembered how much they enjoyed it together. He will always have that memory. That is priceless.
Fantasmic is a nightly show at Hollywood Studios. It is hands down the best night show in Disney World. It is proabably one of the 5 best attractions. Fantasmic has it all. Water. Fire. Drama. Music. Mickey. So. Many. Characters. It is an absolute must see. Do not hesitate to attend this show. It is late, it draws a massive crowd and it takes a long time to leave. But it doesn’t matter. Go see it.
Here is a video of my son absolutely crushing it at Fantasmic. The video doesn’t spoil anything if you haven’t seen it. At the end of Fantasmic, large boats pass by saturated with characters. I watch this video all the time. I don’t know if I have ever been as happy and excited as he is.
Epcot had come a long way. It has been altered more than any other park. Hollywood Studios added Star Wars and Toy Story. Animal Kingdom added Pandora. Epcot has been completely reimagined. The construction has taken forever, and has been impacted by Covid-19. Epcot has added more thrill rides and has some of my favorites. But the feel of Epcot is joyous. It is festive and fun.
There was a time where we would spend a half a day at Epcot. Or even skip it altogether. Not anymore. Soarin and Test Track are a must. New editions Remy’s Ratatoullie and Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will entice visitors for years to come. But the rides are just half the story. Maybe not even half. World Showcase with unique snacks, desserts, food and drink is a never ending festival.
Wandering through World Showcase, tasting and sampling, is an adventure to experience time and again. Even our kids enjoy it. They enjoy the relaxing change of pace. They love snacking on pastries, gelato, cookies and chocolates. They ask when we are going to Epcot so they can eat while we “drink beers”. The scenery is breathtaking. The flower beds are gorgeus. What brings vacationers back to Disney World year after year is the feeling of joy inside the park. Each park has a unique feel. Epcot has a feel of serenity, beauty and extravagance.
Don’t overlook Epcot. With the new redesign and rides, there is even more to do.
Memory maker is the most essential Disney Vacation perk. You absolutely have to buy it. For a relatively low cost you get unlimited photos. My biggest regret after every vacation is I wish we took more photos.
Disney Memory Maker allows you to download all of the photos taken at the parks. This includes ride photos and photo pass locations. These are both must haves. Where else can you have trained photographers snap photos of you on vacation? Again, take photo after photo after photo. When you think you have enough, get more. We love our iconic photos such as the ones in front of the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom. But even the photos at random locations can be amazing. Photos with just the kids or just the parents or mixed and matched. I don’t have many great photos of my wife and I together since our kids were born. The ones I do have, are from Disney World.
Tower of Terror
If you go with a large group, only one person needs the memory maker. Just link the parties on the My Disney Experience website in the friends and families list. Our family has years of vacations saved in our photo cloud. I’m always just a few clicks away from returning to Disney.
As part of cost cutting initiatives, Disney World stopped including complimentary magic bands with a Disney vacation package. This saves them a lot of money. A lot. And they have spun the marketing on this to promote the My Disney Experience app and the Disney Genie Service as its replacement. They certainly aren’t stupid over there at Disney. They want you to use your phone for everything and make it so you think it’s better than the free magic bands.
You need magic bands. Even at an extra cost they are an essential vacation accessory. Part of the fun of a Disney vacation is the planning . Picking out magic band colors with your children is a fun little pre-vacation experience. Spending up for the limited edition bands they change frequently is well worth it. The kids love them and they double as souvenirs. My kids wear them as bracelets and they love telling their friends and classmates about their Disney trip.
Magic bands are, well, magical. Kids love tapping them to get into the park and to open the hotel doors. My kids race to the door to be the first to open it. And the memories of them when they are little and can’t get them to work are recreated as they get older and master the art. They are so proud of themselves for being able to do it, because they remember when it was hard for them. I love watching them obsess over tapping their magic bands when we go through lightning lanes.
You need this photo.
You will be using your phone enough with Disney Genie. Enjoy the magic with the magic bands.
