Weekly Tip #8

Why it is Important to Treat Yourself on Your Vacation

We all know how expensive a Disney trip can be. There are ways to save money, but even with the savings Disney is not a trip everyone can take once a year and for some people it is a once in a lifetime trip. So it is understandable why you would want to keep costs down where you can and that includes dining. If you have a room with a kitchenette or a full size kitchen it makes it a little easier to prepare food in your room. You can also bring food into the parks, so that way dining out is kept to a minimum, or just go to the quick service restaurants. It's great to save money while you are in Disney, if you can have fun and still not spend a lot of money while you are in Disney it almost feels like you got one over on Disney. 

Now with all of that said, I would definitely recommend planning for at least one signature dining experience in Disney, if you can. Cooking for yourself and using quick service dining is great and it certainly does help you to save money, but putting aside a savings for an evening at a signature dining restaurant is worth the experience. It definitely was worth it for us. I have heard that some of the signature dining restaurants have had a reduction in the quality of food due to the dining plan, but that was not our experience at California Grill. 

The Contemporary Resort 

(Where California Grill is located)

Everyone in the party absolutely loved California Grill and that includes the kids! They do have a kids menu with offerings that the kids will enjoy and all the kids in our party loved the pizza the each ordered off the kids menu. As for the adults in the party, we all thought the food was delicious! Whether it was steak, seafood, or pasta, everyone was very pleased with their meals. We were so pleased, we have decided to add California Grill to our reservation list for the next trip. My husband and two of our friends each had a scotch that they enjoyed, this was their dessert and they were not disappointed. I can say that the martinis are very good as well! For dessert I, as well as our friend Jay, ordered the Sundae Sampler and it was delicious. It's going to be hard for me to try another dessert the next time we go. 

The Sundae Sampler from California Grill

Not only was the food delicious, but the service at California Grill was fantastic and the restaurant itself was beautiful. The view the Magic Kingdom made the dining experience even more magical, for both the kids and adults! The best part was watching the fireworks from their observation deck. That was an amazing night for all of us. For more information on California Grill you can see my review here.

The view of Magic Kingdom from our table.

Fireworks from the Observation Deck

While we really enjoyed our signature dining experience, I know there are other people who have been disappointed in some of the other signature dining restaurants. One that I have been wanting to try, but have not because of such negative reviews is Le Cellier Steakhouse located in the Canada pavilion in Epcot. My husband works with someone who says this is a must-do restaurant, but I have read so many negative reviews and that is what is holding me back. However, you don't know what the person who is giving the review is like, so you have to take everything with a grain of salt. The main thing I hear about Le Cellier is that the quality has gone down hill since the dining plan was put into place. I am thinking that since this would be our first experience here then we wouldn't know what we are missing. Le Cellier has been put on the "maybe" list for a date night for me and my husband. It is good to do some research on the restaurants that you are thinking of trying, but just remember that everyone's opinion is different and your experience might not be the same as the person who gave the review. 

Another reason to experience a signature dining restaurant is that it is a good reason to have a date night, if you brought the kids with you. We didn't do date nights during the last trip, but when we started planning the next trip with our friends that was one of the first things we all discussed and agreed it would be a good idea. So, we are going to have alternating date nights. Plus, that helps to save on paying babysitters. 

There are definitely reasons to put a little extra aside, if you can, and try a signature dining experience. Make sure to read some reviews before you make your selection, but also remember that your dining experience and opinions will probably be different than a lot of the reviewers. It's hard to make a reservation somewhere that doesn't get stellar reviews, especially if you are spending a lot of money on dinner. I would have a few to choose from before you do your research, so that way you have backups if your first choice does not get good reviews. TripAdvisor is always a good place to start and you can see pictures from other people's visits to go along with the reviews. If you are interested in dining at California Grill you can see other reviews and pictures on TripAdvisor. 

We found the extra cost to be worth the dining experience. If you are looking for a reason to have an adults only night, the signature dining experiences are a good reason to have a date night. Go ahead and enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

Liz ⁰O⁰
mainstreetwishes.com

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Cooking the Disney Way: Cobblestone Cheese Bread

I am really loving this cookbook! Last night I made the Cobblestone Cheese Bread to go along with a lasagna. The bread recipe is from the Yacht Club Galley, which is now the Captain's Grille. I have not been to Captain's Grille, so I cannot say if they are still making this bread, but I'm hoping we can check it out on our next trip. I am having a lot of fun with the recipes in this book, so I definitely recommend picking one up if you are in the market for a Disney cookbook.

This is what the cover looks like.

(In case you want to buy it)

For legal reasons I cannot actually post the recipe for you, it being copyrighted material and all. However, I can show you pictures of the finished product, give you some tips if you do make the bread, and let you know how it went over with my family.

The copyright info in the front of the book.

(I know a lot of people don't pay attention to this,

but I don't want to be on the receiving end of 

Disney's legal team ;-) )

Now, on to the recipe review! I have not made bread that much, but I found this recipe to be pretty easy to make. As with any bread, there is some waiting time because you have to let the bread rise. So make sure to start early enough in the day if you want to have the bread ready for dinner. We didn't have any bread flour, so I just used regular all-purpose flour and that worked out fine. With the holidays coming up, I might end up with some bread flour and I can try making it again. One other tip, I would get a block of cheese and grate it yourself, rather than buying cheese already shredded. I think it works better for the recipe if you use freshly grated cheese.

This bread was a huge hit at dinner, with the family asking for extra helpings of the bread. I really enjoyed it as well. There are some cheese breads, especially breads with Asiago cheese, that I find to be a little overpowering, but this is not the case with the Cobblestone Cheese Bread. You can definitely taste the cheese in the bread, but it compliments the bread and does not overpower it. For once, I actually timed everything right and the bread was done when the lasagna was ready, so we were able to have nice warm bread with dinner. The butter melted perfectly on the bread and it tasted delicious!

Top View

Side View

Sliced

I will definitely be making this bread again! The recipe makes two loaves, so you are covered for a little while. There is nothing like fresh homemade bread and since this bread recipe is so simple, you can make it as often as you like. If you are looking for a good and hearty bread, I definitely recommend the Cobblestone Cheese Bread from the Yacht Club Galley (now Captain's Grille)! Happy Disney baking!

Thanks for reading!

Liz ⁰O⁰

mainstreetwishes.com

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Cooking the Disney Way: Lemon Grass Risotto from California Grill

During our last trip I was specifically looking for a Disney cookbook to bring home with me. They actually have a few to choose from, so I looked them over and ended up with "Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs." Here is what the cover of the book looks like, in case you want to buy it.

I picked up mine in the Animal Kingdom

Lodge gift shop, but they are available 

all over Disney property.

This cookbook has recipes from Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, and Disney Cruise Line. I love it, because if you found something you liked at a restaurant, and it's in the book, then you can make it whenever you want! Also, if you have an idea of what restaurants you want to dine in on your next vacation and that restaurant has a recipe/recipes in the book, you can sample the food before you go. That way when you get there you will have already tasted a menu item or two and know whether you want to order those items.

So far I've made the Cheddar Breakfast Potatoes from The Crystal Palace Restaurant and the Coconut Curried Chicken Stew from Boma. Unfortunately, I had not started the blog yet so I didn't take pictures of the finished products, but both recipes got rave reviews from the family.

The recipe I tried last night was the Lemon Grass Risotto from California Grill. For legal reasons, I cannot actually post the recipe for you, it being copyrighted material and all. However, I can give you reviews of the recipes and show you pictures of the finished products. At least with a review and some pictures, you will have some added information if you are looking to buy a Disney cookbook.

Now, for the review. My husband picked out this recipe, because we had already decided on fish for dinner and he thought the risotto would compliment the fish. I have never made risotto before, so I was a little nervous about how it would come out. I will say, you definitely have to keep an eye on it while it is cooking and it involves a lot of stirring, so that it does not burn. Also, there is some chopping involved with this recipe, so make sure you have everything chopped up before you start cooking. It is much easier if it is all chopped ahead of time and things are less likely to burn.

How did it come out? It tasted delicious! I am so pleased with how it came out. My husband loved it and, here's the kicker, my kids loved it too! My (extremely) picky 3 year old ate a good amount of it and my 1 year old had a bunch too. That is what told me this is a good recipe. If it can get my 3 year old to eat (and enjoy) something other than pizza, chicken nuggets, etc. I am all for it! I will definitely be making this again. Plus, I know we are going to make reservations at California Grill for the next trip, so I am excited to try the Lemon Grass Risotto as prepared by the chefs!

View from above.

There was a nice lemony flavor that complimented 

the risotto. It was really good!

This is a good way to sample some of the restaurant food from Disney World, Disneyland, or Disney Cruise Line before you take a trip to any of the Disney locations. They even have a recipe or two from Victoria and Albert's!

If you are looking for a fun cookbook or you have a favorite food from a Disney restaurant check out this cookbook. The reason I bought this book is because it has a recipe for Tonga Toast from Kona Cafe and this was one of my favorite dishes from our trip. I still have to make the Tonga Toast, but when I do I will let you know how it comes out. For now, high marks all around for the Lemon Grass Risotto from California Grill in the "Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs" cookbook!

Thanks for reading!

Liz ⁰O⁰
mainstreetwishes.com

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Weekly Tip #6

Off Peak Travel: Why it is Worth it to Go During Low Periods

I am not a person who enjoys crowds. My friend and I once spent the day in New York City tracking down the building that was used in the opening shot of the show "Friends" (another obsession of mine) and somehow we ended up near the Rockefeller tree. If you have never been to see the tree, let me tell you that the crowds are insane! It was awful and all I wanted to do was get away from the huge crowd of people who were pushing their way past us to get to the tree. It was a mess, I just don't like being in a huge crowd like that. People will inevitably start to shove and push their way to where they want to go, then you end up pushing and shoving back, and it just doesn't make for a happy time. Luckily we found the building we were looking for before all the pushing and shoving.

The "Friends" Building

(Sorry for the quality of the photos.

This was before smartphones)

"I'll Be There For You"

The Street Sign  

(In case you want to find it)

Okay, sorry, back on track. Sometimes "Friends" can make me get as sidetracked as Disney. My point with all of that is...I don't like crowds. So, when we make Disney plans, the crowd levels are what help us decide when to go. Our last trip was in January 2014 around marathon time. We had two friends running the Goofy, so we got there the Thursday before the races and stayed until the following Thursday. The crowd levels were definitely low after the races. We didn't do any parks the weekend of the races, because (1.) our friends were wiped after running a half and full marathon back-to-back and (2.) weekends tend to be a little busier. 

The first thing I will do is buy The Unofficial Guide to Disney World. They have crowd calendars and use research and statistics to write these books every year. I have found them to be pretty reliable. No one can be 100% right when you are trying to predict something, but if it is close then that's good. When we went in January the crowds were predicted to be low and they were low, so our group was pretty happy.

Image from Amazon

The Pros

If you go at an off peak time everything is much easier. The lines for the rides are shorter, so you can get more rides in during your visit. Plus, if it's a low time and you go when the park opens you will feel like the park is empty. It's great!

Dining reservations are also easier to get if you go during off peak times. Some restaurants (e.g. Be Our Guest and Cinderella's Royal Table) will be hard to get a reservation for no matter what time you go, but your chances of securing a reservation time will increase greatly if you go during an off peak time. Another dining bonus for low crowd times? It is easier to just walk up to restaurants and not have a ridiculously long wait. Again, some restaurants will be a long wait or not excepting walk-ups at all no matter what time you go, but it is easier to be a little more "go with the flow" during an off peak time.

Be Our Guest Restaurant

(Image from Disney)

Cinderella's Royal Table

(Image from Disney)

During low crowd times your chances of a room upgrade may increase as well. There is no rhyme or reason as to why some people get upgrades and others don't. I would assume it depends on how many extra rooms are available, the mood of the cast member, and the attitude of the guest. It just makes sense that your chances would increase during an off peak time, because there will be more empty rooms than during busier times. People have been upgraded to presidential suites at Disney. That's some serious pixie dust!

The biggest bonus for me is just the low crowds. Even if nothing else comes from the low crowds (no shorter lines, no walk-ups to restaurants, and no upgrades) I am still happy about the low crowds. This means you don't have to fight your way through the crowds in the parks and you don't feel like you are going to get run over if you are not walking as fast as the person behind you. Plus, if you go to the food court or cafeteria in your hotel, the crowds will be less there and it will be easier to find a table. If you need a wheelchair, scooter, or stroller, the low crowd times make it so much easier to maneuver around the parks. Not having to worry about being in huge crowd of people is a major bonus for me.

Low crowd levels will also make it easier for you to get Fastpasses, because the lines at the kiosks won't be as long. Some rides will have long waits no mater what time of year (e.g. Soarin', Peter Pan's Flight, Toy Story Midway Mania!), so it is good to know that you actually have a chance to get a Fastpass for these rides.

Toy Story Midway Mania!

Toy Story Midway Mania!

Toy Story Midway Mania!

Even if you go during an off peak time, you can still enjoy some of the extras that are associated with busier times. For instance, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) started on September 1 this year and the Food and Wine Festival started on September 19. So if you planned your trip right when the Food and Wine Festival began, the crowds will probably be lower than once you get farther into October closer to November, and you will still be able to experience both MNSSHP and Food and Wine Festival. Though I did hear that this year the crowds were much busier than usual, they are still lower than the crowds will be later this month and into December. It is possible to enjoy some of the special events Disney offers without having to go during the busy times.

The Cons

When you go during an off peak time you will have to expect that there will be some rides and attractions down for refurbishment. When we went in January, my favorite ride (Splash Mountain) was down the whole time we were there. I checked a refurbishment list before we left for the trip, that way I wouldn't be disappointed by any surprises when we got there. The water parks will close down (one at a time) for a couple of months at a time during the winter for refurbishment. So if you go in the winter, expect one of the water parks to be out of commission. Definitely check the refurbishment schedule before you leave for your trip, because at least you will have a warning if a favorite ride won't be open when you are there. 

During the busy times Disney has more events taking place. If you go during low crowd times, while you can still work it so you can attend the events, it will take more planning on your part to be in Disney during a low crowd time while the event is being offered. If you do work in an event during a low crowd time, there may not be as many extras offered at the event during an off peak time. Just make sure to do your research if things like that are important and a must-do for your trip.

If you have kids, a big con might be the fact that you will have to take them out of school to go during an off peak time. Everyone has their own views on this, but if you don't mind taking them out of school for the trip just make sure you communicate with the teachers. We have a lot of friends who are teachers and some family members that are teachers and most of them feel the same way. They don't mind if you take the kids out, just work with them and let them know the details of how long the student will be gone as far in advance as you can. This will give the teacher plenty of time to work with you and come up with schoolwork the student should be doing while on vacation. Don't leave it all up to the teacher, work with them. If you tell them five months in advance, that's great (and the advanced notice is preferable), but they won't be able to tell you right then and there what will be covered the week the student is gone. So, just make sure to have communication with the teacher about the trip and work with them. They will appreciate it and it will help the child as well. If you don't want to take your child out of school, then don't worry about any of that :-) Just be prepared for big crowds.

Another downside to traveling during the off peak time could be the weather. If you like the Florida heat then you might not want to travel in the winter months. The winter months can be a toss up between warmish weather and cold weather. We had highs in the 80s when we were there in January, but our last day went down to 55. Even though we are from an area that experiences pretty cold temps in the winter, we felt cold during that 55 degree day because we had become used to the 80 degree weather. If pool time is important to you that may outweigh the advantage of the low crowds in the winter months. Again, the warm weather is a toss up, so you might not get as much pool time as you would like. 

Something else that might be hard to take advantage of if you go during off peak times is the Christmas decorations. There are ways to see some of the decorations without big crowds, because Disney usually leaves them up into the first week of January. However, even though they leave the decorations up, all of the special shows and activities that come along with Christmas/Holiday times at Disney will not be offered. 

Icicle Castle from 2007

Christmas Decorations from 2007

Christmas Decorations from 2007

Christmas Decorations from 2007

Christmas Decorations from 2007

There are so many factors when you are deciding what time of year to go to Disney. Off peak is usually the first factor for me. Our kids are still small, so taking our daughter out of school is not as big of a deal as it might be when she gets older. I can deal with having to make dining reservations so far in advance and I can deal with rides and attractions being down for refurbishment when we are there, if it means low crowds. I find the low crowds to help with a relaxing, but fun vacation. You don't feel as rushed and busy, because you are not trying to be the crowds. Everyone has their own feelings on when is the best time to travel. For me, low crowds trump pretty much every con (though I'm hoping for warmer weather on the next trip for more pool time). If you are not sure, I would sit down and just make a pros and cons list. It helps, trust me! :-)

Thanks for reading!

Liz ⁰O⁰

mainstreetwishes.com

Toy Story Midway Mania!

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Disney for the Big Kids

Yes, Disney is a place that will make you feel like a kid again. However, there are plenty of things for adults to do that don't have to include kids. Sometimes you need that night out with just the adults and there is nothing wrong with that!

You can head over to the Boardwalk and check out Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Hall. If you are not staying at an Epcot resort hotel, you can take a bus to Hollywood Studios and either walk or take the Friendship boat to the Boardwalk. There is no bus from Epcot to Boardwalk Inn, due to it's close proximity. In order to walk to the Boardwalk from Epcot you would need to walk through Epcot and that means you would need to pay to get into Epcot, just to walk through it. So walking or boating from Hollywood Studios is the best way to get there.

Both Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Hall are adults only venues, so that makes them a great option for an adult only night out. Jellyrolls is really cool, because they have dueling pianos! They take requests and, according to Disney's website, you are encouraged to try to stump the piano players. There is a $10 cover charge for Jellyrolls, so just remember that if you decide to go there.

Atlantic Dance Hall is right down the way from Jellyrolls at the end of the Boardwalk. This is the place to go if you are in the mood to dance. They will either have a live band or a DJ, depending on the night. Either way this is a great place to let loose on the dance floor!

The Boardwalk also has nightly entertainment right outside. Jugglers, magicians, and other entertainers usually start performing around 7. You can grab some pizza from the Pizza Window and sit down to enjoy the entertainment as  you eat. There are also some games along the Boardwalk where you can try your luck to win a prize.  

If you are looking for a quiet place to eat and you are okay with spending quite a bit on dinner, then you should consider Victoria and Albert's at the Grand Floridian. Dinner here is easily over $60 a person, but they have been a AAA Five Diamond Award recipient since 2000, so they know what they are doing. Something to note about this restaurant, children under 10 are not allowed to dine here. 

Victoria and Albert's 

(Picture from Disney's Website)

Another dining option at Victoria and Albert's is The Queen Victoria Room. This room is limited to 4 tables, seating 2 at each table, and has a 10 course menu. The cost, at the time of writing, is $225 per person and they offer wine pairings from $105 per person. It is very expensive, but keep in mind all the food you get and you are in a private room with only four tables.

The Menu for 

The Queen Victoria Room

(Menu from Disney's Website)

Queen Victoria Room

(Picture from Disney's Website)

For the mother of all experiences at Victoria and Albert's you can go for the Chef's Table Dinner. For this dinner you will be eating in the actual kitchen of Victoria and Albert's and the chef will be interacting with you throughout your meal. This is also a 10 course meal and the table is only available for one party. They table can seat up to 10 people or as few as 2. The cost is $250 per person for the meal and $105 per person for the wine pairing. The chef will give samples and recommendations throughout the 3 hour meal. 

Chef's Table Dinner

(Picture from Disney's Website)

For all three of the dining experiences at Victoria and Albert's there is a dress code. Men must wear dinner jackets, dress pants or slacks, and shoes, but ties are optional. Women may wear a cocktail dress, nice dress, pants suit, or a skirt with a blouse. Things that are not permitted: jeans, shorts, capri pants, sandals, flip-flop, and tennis shoes. I would also keep in mind that this restaurant, for all three dining experiences, books up quickly. If you know you want to have dinner here, then I would try for reservations at the 180 day mark, especially for the Queen Victoria Room and the Chef's Table Dinner.

If golf is your thing, then you are in luck! Disney World has three golf courses with championship layouts that play to a par of 72. The three golf courses are Disney's Magnolia Golf Course, Disney's Palm Golf Course, and Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course. If you are just starting out they have a golf course for less skilled golfers too,Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course.

Disney also does a lot of tours that are adult only. For instance, the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in Magic Kingdom, which is a 5 hour behind the scenes walking tour, is an adults only tour.  There is also an adults only Segway tour at Fort Wilderness called Wilderness Back Trail Adventure. These are just a couple of examples, but there are many other tours available the are geared to adults. For a complete list of tours click here.

So, if you have a friend that asks why you would want to go to Disney, because "Disney is for kids"...just send them some of these links. There are plenty of things for adults to do in Disney World. It's great to feel like a kid, but it's nice to know Disney covers the adults when we want to feel like adults :-)

Thanks for reading!

Liz ⁰O⁰
mainstreetwishes.com

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Weekly Tip #5

Dining at Disney: How to Keep the Cost Down

Eating in restaurants can be expensive at Disney, but there are ways to keep the cost down and still be able to enjoy a meal out. Whether you have a dining budget for your Disney trip or not, most people like to save money where they can. It feels good to know you saved some money, especially since Disney vacations are far from cheap!

My tip for this week is simple, instead of having lots of dinners in restaurants, try to limit to breakfasts and lunches, especially if you are eating at the buffets. The reason is the price goes up with every meal, unless we are talking about some of the special dining experiences like Cinderella's Royal Table (that's going to be a jaw-dropping price no matter what time of day you go).

If a restaurant serves both lunch and dinner, chances are the lunch is just a scaled down version of dinner. They usually offer most of the same items in a smaller portion size and for a reduced price. We did this for most of our trip. We had either a big breakfast or a big lunch and only dined out for dinner a couple of times. When we did have dinner out it was more of a splurge and well worth the price. For instance, the day we had reservations for California Grill we had quick service food for the rest of the day and then we splurged at dinner. Totally worth it!

Contemporary Resort

View from Our Table

Sundae Sampler at California Grill

Fireworks View from California Grill

As an example you can see the Biergarten's lunch and dinner menus on Disney's website. There really is not much of a difference in the food offered, just the price of the buffet changes. If you want to see the jaw-dropping prices I was talking about for Cinderella's Royal Table, just click here. Granted, you get a lot of extras with this meal (and I hope to get reservations here for the next trip), but it is very expensive. I don't think the table service restaurants, like 50's Prime Time Cafe, change the menu prices for lunch and dinner quite as much as the buffet restaurants.

Biergarten Restaurant Dining Room

Cinderella's Royal Table

(Picture from Disney's Website)

50's Prime Time Cafe

(Picture from Disney's Website)

Another tip, you can plan your lunch closer to dinner time. If you eat at a time that is between lunch and dinner you will still get the lunch price, the restaurant will be less crowded, and you won't need a big meal for dinner. Some people like to plan their breakfast buffet late, because I guess sometimes the restaurant will start putting out some lunch items and then it is almost like a brunch. I have never experienced this, we always plan our breakfasts earlier in the morning, but I have heard from several people that they have experienced this.

So, there you go! If you like dining at the buffets (and they are really good!), I would recommend having breakfast or lunch there to keep the cost down. With the money you save on the meals you can buy fun souvenirs or put it towards your next Disney trip ;-)

Thanks for reading!

Liz ⁰O⁰

mainstreetwishes.com

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