On The Road Travel

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. The Turf Club Bar and Grill, a table service restaurant and lounge at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, could be described as a completely obvious hideaway. This equestrian themed restaurant is nestled along the Lake Buena Vista golf course and across from Disney Springs. Despite being in the view of hundreds of people daily, this American-fare restaurant is a perfect spot for a quiet, refreshing meal. Dinner is the only meal served at The Turf Club and it is open Wednesday-Sunday. When the Dining Plan is available it’s a one-credit meal. Meals are typically $15-35 per adult, though you can stop into the Lounge for a drink and smaller plates at a lower cost. The menu in the full restaurant boasts of delicious twists on many American favorites. Enjoy Grilled Artichokes or Cider-braised Mussels for an appe...

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. The Walt Disney World Resort offers a number of opportunities to experience snippets of different countries throughout the property. One such experience that does not require a park ticket is the dining at Raglan Road. From the moment you cross the threshold, you are whisked away to the pubs and streets of Ireland. A meal at Raglan Road, located in Disney Springs, is a treat for each of your senses: the sounds of traditional and modern Irish Folk music; the feel of wood that has served as a landing spot of hospitality on two sides of the Atlantic; the sights of amazing footwork of the Irish step dancers; the smell of fresh fish and chips, bangers and mash, or shepherd’s pie; and the tastes of flights of beer from four of Ireland's provinces. And be sure to leave room for dessert - the bread & butter p...

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. If you need a few moments to step away from the hustle and bustle of the Disney fun, look no further than Enzo’s Hideaway. Tucked underneath Disney Springs, Enzo’s transports you to a 1920s speakeasy. It boasts of tantalizing, barrel-aged cocktails and the largest collection of rums and scotches of any restaurant at Disney Springs. But adult beverages are not the only thing Enzo’s has to offer; the menu is top notch. Diners can choose from imported meats and cheeses, Italian-inspired entrees, and let’s not forget the dessert. For the kids (or kids at heart), spaghetti and meatballs, cheese pizza, or penne and butter will satisfy even the biggest of appetites. Getting to Enzo’s is easy; simply hop on Disney Transportation to Disney Springs! If you have a vehicle while in the Orlando area, you can park for ...

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. Ask anyone to name the top five cuisines in all of the world, French food will undoubtedly show up on that list. Ask anyone to name the top five outstanding customer experiences in all the world, and Disney will undoubtedly show up on that list. So, what can you expect when French food and Disney combine in one? The outstanding dining experience that is Chefs de France. Chefs de France is located in the France pavilion in Epcot, so a park ticket (and a reservation for Epcot), is required to take it all in. Modeled after a Parisian brasserie (a casual dining restaurant), you will be whisked away to the city of love with its sights, sounds, and smells. The France pavilion is very close to the International Gateway entrance to the park; if you take the Skyliner to Epcot, you will first get to enjoy your time...

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. Disney is home to many outstanding dining experiences. However, you would be hard pressed to find a more quintessential Disney experience than Be Our Guest. Located in Fantasyland inside the Magic Kingdom, it is not to be missed. Not surprisingly, Be Our Guest took the inspiration for its decor from Beauty and the Beast. When you arrive for your meal, you will be seated in one of three areas: the Grand Ballroom, the West Wing, or the Castle Gallery. No matter where you end up getting seated for your meal, be sure to mosey about the rest of the restaurant when you are finished to experience the grandeur of the ballroom, the chill of the West Wing (enchanted rose included), or the delight of the Castle Gallery. Currently, Be Our Guest is a Signature Dining experience for both lunch and dinner. Guests get to...

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. If you are looking for a chic, ultra-modern dining experience at Disney Springs, head over to STK Orlando. The signature dining location features an innovative menu, in-house DJ, and a stunning outdoor patio. The menu includes steaks, seafood, creative sides, plus options for your kiddos. STK Orlando serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. This 14,000-square-foot hotspot is managed by The ONE Group and also boasts a luxe private dining room, which can be rented for functions and special events. Kick off your experience with delectable appetizers and salads, such as the Blue Iceberg salad. There’s plenty for seafood lovers to enjoy, including Funa Tartare, Crispy Calamari and zesty selections from the raw bar—or even a seafood platter to share with the table. Diverse entrées range from Braised Short Ribs...

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. Storybook Dining at Artist Point is one of the more recent additions to the Disney character dining options. During this FABULOUS experience located inside the Wilderness Lodge Resort, everything from the food and drink, to the atmosphere, to the character interactions are worth checking out. During this dinner-only event, you are transported into an enchanted forest for a meal with Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy, and the Evil Queen. As is standard for most character dining experiences, Snow White, Dopey, and Grumpy will make their way to your table for a greeting and pictures; at some point during your meal, you will be escorted over to meet the Evil Queen in her “lair” where a Photo Pass Photographer will be watching to ensure the Queen’s malicious faces are captured on camera. This is the ONLY place you can...

Updated 6/16/22 For the most up-to-date information about the phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the   Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. The Crystal Palace is one of three character dining locations found within the gates of the Magic Kingdom (the others being Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table - you can learn more about that on our last post! ). Located on Main Street USA not far from Adventureland, it’s a nice place to sit down and enjoy a meal. It is also the only location in all of Disney property where you can dine with Winnie the Pooh and friends. Characters are available for all three meals served at the Crystal Palace. (Breakfast: 8 am- 10:45 am; Lunch: 11:30 am- 2:55 pm; or Dinner: 3:00 pm - 7 pm). The buffet offerings are standard for Disney character dining--American fare with a few “fun” salad options, a butcher’s station, a “kids” food buffet option (but don’t judge me for taking the Mac & Cheese), and a deliciou...

Updated 5/31/2022 Be sure to request a Resort Guide at the front desk so that you can have the most up-to-date information about resort happenings and schedules.  For the most up-to-date information about the phased re-opening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the  Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide.    If you’re looking for an alternative to Disney property, but want to stay as close to the magic as possible, you may want to consider the B Resort and Spa at Disney Springs. Located just down the street from Disney Springs, Disney has designated the B as one of its Good Neighbor hotels, meaning it maintains certain standards required by Disney to keep that designation . . . and offer additional benefits (we’ll get to that in a second).   The B is definitely for those who enjoy a sleek and contemporary, yet comfortable resort. There are various accommodations available among the 394 rooms at the B that range from your traditional hotel room,...

Updated 3/29/2022  Be sure to request a Resort Guide at the front desk so that you can have the most up-to-date information about resort happenings and schedules.  For the most up-to-date information about the phased re-opening of the Walt Disney World Resort, please visit the  Walt Disney World Know Before You Go Guide. Not far off the beaten path, a treasure of a Disney resort sits on an “African” savanna at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (AKL). From the moment you start the journey up the drive to the resort, you are whisked away to the heart of Africa with lush greenery that eventually opens up to four savannas. These savannas are home to more than 200 animals and birds. Based on both these details and its name, you may have guessed that AKL is the Animal Kingdom resort area.   Animal Kingdom Lodge is a Deluxe Resort with a variety of room options, ranging from standard four person rooms, to 2 bedroom suites with club level access, to villas with kitchen and living a...

Disney vacations are certainly one of the first options many consider for family vacation, but Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, and Adventures By Disney are vacations that should be on the short list for adult-only vacations, too! Many of these highlights are not strictly “adults only,” but they are little things you might miss-out on when bringing along the whole fam. Special Events: Ever wanted to run around Magic Kingdom (almost) all by yourself? With Disney After Hours you get run of one of your favorite WDW parks after normal park hours have ended. There are also events like H2O Glow Nights , a multitude of RunDisney choices, or you could take a specialty cruise around the 7 Seas Lagoon. Food and Drink: Don’t let Disney’s reputation for Mickey pretzels and Dole Whips fool you: truly fine culinary pursuits are also in no short supply. Victoria & Albert's in the Grand Floridian at Disney World is a AAA, five star dining experience. Palo and Rem...

One thing that is oft overlooked in preparing for a Disney World trip is the mental preparation. Disney World is an experience unlike any other and, for most of us, not part of our daily routine. Thinking through and mentally preparing for the challenges you may face when touring the parks will help you navigate those bumps in the road as they pop up. Here are a few tips to do just that: It is going to be hot and humid, and probably rain. It is Florida. It is swamp country. It’s going to be hot, even in the winter months. Bring your personal fans and your cooling towels. Drink and refill your water bottle often. Stop in a shop to check out souvenirs in the air conditioning and avoid getting drenched; pull out your poncho (or buy a souvenir Mickey poncho) if you have to. It is totally manageable to navigate the heat and the rain; you just have to be prepared. There are going to be lots of people. No matter what time of year you visit Disney World, there are going to be a LOT of peop...

Back in September, you may remember that I embarked on a girls trip with my dear friend, Megan. The first part of our trip saw us conquering all four Walt Disney World parks in one day. The second part of our trip had us setting sail on the high seas for our first ever Disney Cruise. The expectations for the cruise were high: I’ve rarely spoken with someone who wasn’t blown away with their DCL experience. But, having sailed other cruise lines before, I had to see the “Disney Difference” for myself. Spoiler alert: Disney did not disappoint. Here are just a few highlights of what set the Disney Cruise Line apart! Night time entertainment: Specifically for the cruise line, Disney produces Broadway style, and Broadway quality shows. Each night of our three night adventure was a different show that allowed us to connect with some of the more well-known characters (Belle and Beast) and those that are a little less common (Quasimodo or Tarzan). Staff: Every single cast member (aka Disne...

Just 8 days ago, I was running around a very hot Disney World. And by running, I almost literally mean running. My friend Megan and I went down to WDW to check out Pandora and Toy Story Land before our AMAZING Disney Cruise Line adventure. But as we got to talking, Megan didn’t want to miss her favorite ride, Soarin,’ and we really couldn’t miss the Happily Ever After Firework show. If you’re somewhat familiar with the parks, you probably realize that these four “must dos” are in four different parks. So, we decided to officially make our one day in the parks into a four park challenge. Four park challenges (FPC) can take a number of different forms. Our FPC had four self-imposed rules. In each park we had to: 1) take a picture with the park icon, 2) meet a character that is NOT one of the fab five, 3) ride a major attraction, and 4) eat a food specific to that park. I could go on and on about our experience, but for now, I’ll leave you with four take-aways from our trip that wil...

As travel agents, we often get asked for our top Disney World vacation tips. There are as many answers to this question as there are days in the year, but today I will offer you my top three not- so-obvious or underrated tips: 1. Matching/ Coordinating T-shirts: If you’re not one who likes to be matchy/matchy with your travel companions, this is a tip that you might quickly dismiss. However, matching shirts serve more than a fashion function at Disney World. First, they make identifying the members of your group SUPER easy to do. With an average of 52,000 people moving in and out of the Magic Kingdom each day, being able to easily to know that your group is all together cannot be underrated.   It makes packing easy! You’re preparing for your Disney trip by doing a million different things. Get everyone wearing the same shirt and don’t sweat it!   Talking points: If your shirts let people know where you’re from or what you’re celebrating, it inspires conversation with ot...

It is not unusual to walk ten miles each day at Disney World, so it almost goes without saying that when “doing Disney” with kids, a stroller is a MUST. Whether you should bring your own stroller or rent one is a question with a less clear answer. Let’s explore a few of the options out there: Bring your own: You can certainly bring your own stroller from home to Disney World. One major benefit to doing so is that it saves you a bit of money, and you’re familiar with how it functions. When you bring your own stroller, don’t forget that you’ll be responsible for transporting it to and from Orlando, including around the airport where you will likely have to gate check it. You will also have fold it up and carry it on to transportation while you're going to and from the parks. Rent from Disney: Photo from DisneyFanatic Disney offers stroller rentals in each of the parks. Disney offers single strollers for $15/ day, and double strollers for $31/day; multi day rentals are availab...

FASTPASS+ (aka Fast Passes). They may be the most stressed about pre-Disney trip to do, but with a bit of knowledge and the insight from our agents, there is no reason to stress! First, what is a Fast Pass? A Fast Pass is a digital ticket that allows you priority loading at certain attractions at Walt Disney World. You are given a one-hour window of time in which you may enjoy the attraction. When it's time for your Fast Pass, you can use either your Magic Band or park ticket to scan into the Fast Pass queue, which allows for a shortened wait time. What do Fast Passes Cost? Nothing! Fast Passes are included in the cost of your theme park ticket. How many FastPass+es do I get? Each person is allowed to book 3 FastPass+es per day at the park to begin with. All three of those FastPass+es must be booked at the same park. After you use your initial 3 FastPass+es, you may obtain a fourth. After you use your fourth, you may obtain a fifth, etc. For this reason, it’s often best prac...

This week’s Meet Me Monday is all about Emily Haack! Emily has been a Disney fan for as long as she can remember. Her first Disney related memory was her dad taking her to see Beauty and the Beast in the theaters, sneaking in popcorn, and singing along with the songs she already knew by heart (hello cassette tape soundtracks!). Her love for Disney grew as her parents took her whole family on trips multiple times throughout childhood. The journey to being an agent began when her parents surprised her whole family--this time adults--with a trip to Disney World in 2015. She took the reigns in learning everything she could about making the trip a success (guided by Suzanne in the background), and it was pure magic. She vividly remembers the moment the magic finally fully embraced her husband; it was movie perfect under the canopy of the fireworks. She had so much fun planning the trip for her family that she had to continue that fun by becoming an agent. Emily and her husband get the...