Sleepy Hollow is a not so hidden anymore gem in Magic Kingdom. It is located in Liberty Square just outside Cinderella’s Castle. They sell breakfast snacks all day. The funnel cake is unbelievable. Even when the line is long, it moves quickly. There are tables available to sit and eat outside.
Waffles with Fruit, Funnel Cake, Sweet & Spicy Chicken, and Chips
After breakfast hours, Sleepy Hollow has additional items. There are freshly made chips and a delicious sweet and spicy chicken waffle sandwich. Guests can also get a corn dog or a turkey leg.
Sleepy Hollow is a great spot to grab a quick meal. It is much less expensive and faster than other quick service options. The breakfast foods are so tasty and fulfilling. They also satisfy my sweet tooth. The table area in Liberty Square is lively and the scenery is gorgeous.
So Happy
Sleepy Hollow is easy to walk past in the hustle through Magic Kingdom. It is a bit of a hole in the wall in Liberty Square and not enough people know what they are missing. We often rope drop a few rides and then head over for breakfast.
Park Hopping at Disney World is an addition to Park Admission that allows guests to visit more than one park in a single day. Let me explain why you should consider this. Park Hopping can be great for short trips and longer stays just as well. It works for short days in the park and spending all day there.
Some families with younger kids might not anticipate spending long hours in the park. It works well to head over to one of the parks in the morning for a few hours and then head back to the hotel for a break. Park Hopping allows the family to go to a different park later in the day. Families with young ones also might not be able to stay to enjoy the night time shows. Park Hopping allows the flexibility to pop into any park just to catch the fireworks.
Magic Kingdom
Disney Dads also use Park Hopping to make the most out of every day. Usually Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are the first parks to open. Starting the day at one of these parks and moving over to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT extends the day at the parks. It is especially simple to go from Hoywood Studios to EPCOT because they are so close together. We have even walked that voyage before. It was a fun 15 minutes through the hotel area between the two parks.
On our Disney World vacations, we like to eat quick service lunches and table service dinners. We have found over the years that Epcot and Magic Kingdom have so many dining options we can never get to them all. Conversely, we don’t love dinners at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Park Hopping allows us to start in one of those parks and head to another for dinner. We can still enjoy plenty of time in all the parks without missing out on our favorite dining options.
The Park Hopper is an added expense and it might not be worth it for everyone. And it is charged for the entire length of the ticket. You can’t pick individual days to Park Hop and add it for that day alone. But there are so many advantages it should be considered.
Disney World vacations are many things. One of the major things they are is expensive. But I still need my souvenirs. And we have expensive taste. But I think of this as part of the budget for the trip.
All around my home are decorations from past Disney trips. And I love seeing them. If you are wondering if the extra expense is worth it, let me tell you that it is. We have purchased a snow globe from every trip we made to Disney World. Things like that become family traditions. There are also things like reusable water bottles we buy when we get there and use them all week and beyond.
Most Disney World shops will allow you to ship things to your home right when you buy them. Another service, paused currently because of Covid, allows guests to send purchases to their hotel room so they don’t have to carry it around all day.
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.
