Tusker House.

As far as "table service" (or sit down) restaurants go, the options can sometimes seem limited when visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Unlike Magic Kingdom & Epcot, Animal Kingdom's physical location does not provide easy access to a variety of resort dining, and there are not as many choices inside the park as some other places.  

While there are two phenomenal table service experiences within the gates (Yak & Yeti and Tiffins), the menus don't always appeal to our kiddos, leaving us with two Animal Kingdom "go to" restaurants: Rainforest Cafe and Tusker House.  We love them both!  Today we'll take a closer look at Tusker House.

Tusker House is the only restaurant inside Animal Kingdom that provides a character experience. Goofy, Daisy, Donald, and Mickey are decked out in their best safari gear and visit each table to give hugs, take pictures, and sign autographs.

Tusker House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (buffet-style), and much of the food is prepared with an African twist (although corn dog nuggets and macaroni & cheese can be found as well!). We've found that the restaurant's menu allows our family to be adventurous in our eating, knowing that there will definitely be something we'll enjoy even if we end up not liking the new food we've tried (although we typically find most of it to be delicious!).  Sweet plantains, spit-roasted bone-in ham, curry chicken, mojo pork with spicy mustard, and beef bobotie have become some of our favorites!

The restaurant is located toward the very back of the property, near the entrance to The Festival of the Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safari.  Early breakfast reservations (at least an hour before the park opens) can allow your family to enjoy the meal, meet the characters, and be among some of the first in line to ride the Safari, but you'll need to be sure to arrive at the park early enough to make it through security and complete the trek back to the restaurant in time for your reservation!  (Valid theme park admission is required to dine at Tusker House.)

We LOVE the breakfast buffet, but prefer to eat as late as possible (typically around 10:30-10:45ish), so we often time our meal with the start of The Festival of the Lion King, which allows us to finish eating and immediately head over to see one of the best live shows in all of Disney World.

The breakfast buffet costs around $30/adult ($18/child), while lunch is about $38/adult ($23/child) and dinner averages $42/adult ($25/child).  You can also pay for the meal with one (1) table service credit per person on the Disney dining plan.

If you're looking for a fun character dining experience that offers a little more variety than your standard buffet, Tusker House would be a great spot to try!  I'd love to help your family book & plan a Disney trip-- tailored specifically to your desires and budget--with as little stress as possible.  Please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

On our most recent trip to Disney (just a couple of weeks ago), our 5-year-old daughter, Emmy, got to experience Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for the very first time.

Many guests with whom I have the pleasure of working often inquire about this "princess salon," and most choose to book packages for their own personal princesses.  While packages range in cost from approximately $65.00-$200.00, our personal experience has been that the Crown Package ($65) is the perfect fit for our family's budget and our daughters' dreams.  

Just as there are multiple packages from which to choose, there are also multiple locations: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can be found inside Cinderella's Castle within Disney's Magic Kingdom (valid theme park admission is required to access this salon) as well as at Disney Springs, the outdoor mall area located on Disney property (no theme park tickets necessary!).

The pictures featured in this post are from our experience at the Disney Springs location, which we found to be quite spacious and fun!

All of the available salon packages include hairstyling, shimmering make-up & a princess gem, nail polish, and a princess sash & cinch sack.  The difference in the more expensive packages comes down to the addition of items such as t-shirts, tutus, and Disney princess gowns.  Princesses are allowed to bring their own gowns from home, however, and doing so is a great way to cut down on cost (and is exactly what we chose to do with Emmy!).

Two adults and all children in the party can accompany princesses into the salon, so our entire family was able to experience the Boutique with Emmy--and the experience was definitely entertaining enough for us all!  (If more than two adults are part of the group, the grown-ups can take turns visiting the salon throughout the experience.)

Before Emmy met her Fairy Godmother-in-training, she had the opportunity to change into her gown inside an enchanted dressing room (no pictures/spoilers here!).  Our whole family got to watch the magic come to life, which only heightened the excitement!

Emmy selected her own hairstyle from a picture menu of four choices and then sat back to let the transformation begin. 

Her Fairy Godmother-in-training was kind, personable, and age-appropriate, always keeping our family engaged in the process but going out of her way to make Emmy feel special.

Fingernails were polished and make-up was applied once the hairstyle was completed.

And of course there was pixie dust!  Lots and lots of pixie dust! :)  (Side note: all guests can stop by the front desk at any Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique location to receive a little pixie dust of their own!)

The big "reveal" (her chair was finally turned around to face the mirror) was definitely my favorite moment to watch.  I loved, loved, loved seeing Emmy's reaction to her transformation.  I also loved that PhotoPass photographers were on hand inside the salon, taking lots of pictures that became part of my Memory Maker package. :)

Emmy was given a sash and a precious pink cinch sack, which held all of her new trinkets: the make-up palette & "dinglehopper" (comb) that were used, the bottle of sparkly nail polish, the sheet of remaining face gems, a make-up remover cloth, and a bottle of shampoo.  I will say that, contrary to what has occurred in the past, large amounts of hair spray & gel are no longer used inside the boutiques.  Emmy's hair was held in place with lots of bobby pins, a small amount of spray, & a hair net placed over her bun. While the style definitely made it through the evening, it didn't have a chance of lasting on its own overnight.

She got to participate in a quick photo shoot with a PhotoPass photographer before leaving the salon (again, the pictures were included with our Memory Maker purchase), which she absolutely loved!

And, because we visited the Disney Springs location, we also had the opportunity to visit the new PhotoPass Studio there for a few more pictures.  In addition to having the pictures from the studio uploaded to our Memory Maker, our Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique package purchase included an immediate 5x7 print of our choice as well!

Our experience at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique did not disappoint in any way, and I know our little princess had the time of her life (and thoroughly enjoyed all of the attention she received as she sashayed her way through the shops & restaurants at Disney Springs!).

If you have questions related to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or would like help selecting the perfect magical addition for your little one, please don't hesitate to let me know!  I'd love to help your family plan an amazing Disney vacation, even if a trip to the Boutique isn't on your agenda. :)

When Should I Take My Kids to Disney?

Having the opportunity to work with many different families often provides me a glimpse into some of the most common questions people have regarding trips to Disney World.  In fact, I've noticed that there are a handful of questions folks are consistently curious about, and I've decided to do my best to answer some of them in blog form over the next few weeks.

One of the initial things I'm often asked is: "What's the best age for children to visit the parks?"  Now, I'll be honest: I think the answer to that question depends on the flexibility of the child & family, the vacation goals of the family, and the willingness of the family to plan around the child's needs throughout the trip.  It's actually a pretty subjective answer, but it's one that I'm more than willing to talk through with families seriously attempting to make a decision.  And I've got lots of experience: I've taken kiddos as young as six weeks and as old as ten years, and even made multiple trips with no kids at all! All of have been very different, but all have been tons of fun!

From a financial aspect, however, I think there are definitely a few "concrete" pieces of information that are helpful in planning:

First and foremost, children under the age of three (so between the ages of 0-2) can visit the parks for free.  Yep, FREE.  They don't need a ticket, it costs nothing for them to stay in a resort room, and they can even share meals on the dining plan for no fee whatsoever.  As long as they are under three on the day a family checks-in to a resort, they are free for the duration of the trip.

Additionally, children between the ages of 3-9 can enter the parks with a "child's ticket" and are also able to purchase a "child's dining plan," which is quite a significant savings from the adult plan. Once a kiddo turns ten, however, adult prices will apply to both tickets and dining plans.  The same rules apply with check-in dates here...as long as child is under 10 on the day of check-in, the child's rates apply for the duration of the trip.

Based on this information, I often recommend that families consider traveling before their children "age out" of these two groups.  The older the kids are, the more expensive the trip becomes.

Another thing to consider is height requirements.  The vast majority of attractions (especially at Magic Kingdom) have no height requirement at all!  Disney World is one of those places that was definitely built with the entire family in mind.  There are a few popular attractions, however, that do have height requirements, and it's important to keep this in mind when setting expectations for a trip.

While smaller children are permitted to ride almost everything, there are about 7-8 of the more "thrilling" rides that become options once kiddos are forty inches tall.  These include (but aren't limited to) Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror, Star Tours, Soarin', and Test Track.   Some of the most thrilling roller coasters, such as Space Mountain and Rock n'Roller Coaster, require that children be 44 or 48 inches, respectively, but hitting that 40 inch mark really opens up just about every other attraction on property.

Defining the "right age" for a Disney trip will be different for every family, but I definitely think cost and height are two of the major factors that play into this decision!

Feel free to message me if you'd like to discuss this--or any aspect of planning a Disney trip--further. I'd love to help any way I can!

Quick Packing Tips.

My household is currently gearing up for a trip to Disney World.  While packing for a family of six is always a cumbersome task, I thought I'd throw out a few of my "grab & go" essentials for a successful Disney experience, both at the parks as well as at the resorts.  Heads up, though: this won't be your typical "comfortable shoes, sunscreen, poncho, autograph book, & good attitude" post, although those are certainly important.  In this quick list, you'll find more off-the-wall, random type essentials that make our trips easier.

1.  Desitin.  Yep, I said it.  And yes, I'm referring to the diaper rash cream.  We always pick up a tube at our local grocery store and/or CVS when packing, especially when we're visiting the parks in the summer. I'm hoping I don't have to say much more than this for you to get the picture: long, hot, sweaty days and lots & lots of walking. Trust me; it's a game changer for kids (and adults) of all ages. A bottle of Advil (for both children & grown-ups) can make a big difference, too.

2.  A bottle brush.  Even though our children gave up bottles long ago, we've found that a bottle brush is the perfect design for thoroughly cleaning the resort refillable drink mugs that come as part of the dining plan (and are also available for purchase).  While there is a sink area in the food court at each resort, I'm a fan of actually washing my dishes every couple of days or so, and a bottle brush and a small bottle of dish soap go a long way in a resort room sink!

3.  A sharpie marker.  Now, sharpies are great for character autographs in the parks, but they come in super handy at the resorts, too.  My kiddos are notorious for always choosing the same color refillable mugs, even when there are more than enough options for our family!  It never fails that three of the four will choose pink mugs, or that my husband & son will want red, or whatever.  In theory, the different color choices are a great way for family members to distinguish which drink/mug belongs to which person, but my family tends to defy the odds at every turn.  I started to write names on the tops of refillable mugs and we haven't had an issue since.

4.  A pre-loaded Peach Pass.  This one won't work for everyone, but for those of you who live in Georgia, purchasing a Peach Pass (and/or putting a few dollars on your current account) will save you a ton of time on the Florida turnpike.  There are multiple toll booths on the way to Disney World, and because Peach Passes are also valid on Florida's toll roads, having one on your vehicle will allow you to pass right through the pre-paid line (no stopping!).

5.  Breakfast foods.  We ALWAYS bring breakfast foods that can be eaten in our room and/or on the go.  Cereal bars, bananas, protein bars, cold pop tarts, dry cereal, etc. are within reach and simply make life easier.  We stock the mini fridge with milk and bottled water as well!  Rooms aren't always located close to the food court, and with kiddos waking up and/or being ready at different times, it helps to have some healthy choices on hand to start the day.  We also know that the first hour a park is open is typically when you'll find the shortest lines, so spending time eating breakfast in the food court simply isn't on our priority list.

This certainly isn't a complete list, but it does include five of my "must have" items for any and every Disney trip we take.  I'm a light packer and prefer not to have lots of extraneous stuff, but I've found that the items mentioned above definitely help me keep my sanity when traveling with my family. Please don't hesitate to reach out and let me know how I can help your family plan and prepare for a fantastic Disney vacation of your own!

Character Autographs.

In addition to giving lots of hugs and posing for pictures, most characters at Disney also sign autographs.  Collecting character autographs has become a favorite family activity for my crew, and over the years we have tried a variety of ways to store these special signatures.

One of our favorite methods so far has been to use the Junior Encyclopedia of Animated Characters, which dedicates a full of page of fun facts, trivia questions, and pictures to over 150 beloved Disney characters.  

The book is lightweight and fits easily into a backpack or cinch bag.  Sharpie markers work perfectly for signing, and finding the correct page and/or reading up on whomever we're about to meet provides great entertainment for my kiddos while waiting in line.  We have a family goal of collecting as many character signatures as possible, and the book definitely helps us keep track of which signatures we have and don't have, not to mention the fact that its placement on our coffee table gives the book some life and purpose in between trips.  It's always fun to look through and is a great conversation starter!

My FAVORITE feature of the encyclopedia, however, has been the character interactions it creates each time we visit.  The pictures and/or fun facts almost always cause the characters to remember stories and share "memories" with us, and I don't think anyone in our family will forget Buzz Lightyear's reaction to seeing a picture of Jessie on his page; Buzz went out of his way to show everyone in the room the picture he found of the love of his life, which resulted in hysterics from my crazy crew. :)

There are so many ways to collect and store character autographs, but if you've been looking for a simply, easy, fun way to do so, be sure to check out Disney's Junior Encyclopedia of Characters.  It typically sells for under $10 over on Amazon. :)

I am more than happy to share other tips and tricks we've learned over the years.  Don't hesitate to let me know how I can help your family today!

Garden Grill.

It's no secret that our family likes to eat.  In fact, when planning our personal trips, we quite often create our daily schedules around dining reservations, simply because we enjoy the experiences so much!

Over the years, one of our very favorite character dining experiences has become Chip & Dale's Harvest Feast at Garden Grill. Garden Grill is located inside Epcot, which means guests wishing to dine here will not only need a reservation, but also valid park admission.  Located within The Land pavilion, along with popular rides such as Soarin' and Living with the Land, Garden Grill is a great place to grab a super filling breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

Guests dining at Garden Grill have the opportunity to meet Pluto, "Farmer" Mickey, and Chip & Dale and also get to experience some of the most interactive costumed characters on all of Disney property. Chip & Dale are silly and playful and encourage Mickey, Pluto, and guests to join in their fun! 

Garden Grill is also unique due to the fact that the entire restaurant actually rotates.  Albeit slowly, the tables move in a circle, providing birds-eye views of the Living with the Land attraction down below. The circular shape of the restaurant provides a unique table layout as well, often making it feel as if the only family in the restaurant is yours!

At all three meal times, the food is served family-style, meaning that large, all-you-can eat platters are brought to the table.  Breakfast includes favorites such as sausage, bacon, eggs, and Mickey waffles, while lunch and dinner feature carved turkey breast, Italian sausage with peppers & onions, pot roast, macaroni & cheese, and garden fresh vegetables (grown at Epcot!)...not to mention homemade shortcake for dessert!

A meal, on average, is around $42/adult (ages 10+) and $25/child (ages 3-9), or one (1) table service credit per person on the Disney dining plan.

As always, be sure to let me know how I can help create a Disney trip designed just for your family!

Castle Couture.

It's no secret that Disney has mastered the art of the "gift shop."  There are beautifully decorated, wonderfully themed, merchandise-filled stores all across Disney property...and believe it or not, I have a favorite.  And y'all, I am not a shopper.

Moment of honesty:  I've never actually made a single purchase at Castle Couture, which is located right behind Cinderella's Castle in Magic Kingdom.  I do, however, stop by at least once every time I visit.

Castle Couture is, without a doubt, built for a princess.  Jewelry, dresses, and other accessories line the shelves, along with dolls, figurines, and various royal playsets.  If you're looking for Disney-themed earrings, you'll definitely find them here!

The main attractions for our family, however, can't be purchased.

We always stop by to take a quick peek at Aurora's birthday dress, which was, of course, lovingly made for her by Flora, Fauna, & Merryweather...and which does, of course, change from pink to blue accordingly! (If you haven't seen Sleeping Beauty yet, be sure to watch it to understand the reference.)  This is always a highlight for our kiddos--and my hubby & I love the fact that we can enjoy the air conditioning while our little ones marvel at the magic. :)

The second reason a visit to Castle Couture is always high on our priority list can be summed up in two words: PIXIE DUST.  While the Fairy Godmother herself does not work in the store, she does have quite a few apprentices who just so happen to carry vials of 'pixie dust and are at the ready to sprinkle princes & princesses (and kings & queens!) with the golden glitter while offering the opportunity to make magical wishes as well.  It's such a fun--and FREE--experience!  (And the pixie dust will stay in your hair for days!)

If you're looking for an exciting, easy, out-of-the-ordinary experience, be sure to swing by Castle Couture the next time you're at Magic Kingdom.  And remember: faith, trust, and pixie dust go quite a long way. :)

If you're looking for unique and/or free experiences when planning a Disney trip, be sure to let me know how I can help!  Booking a trip with me is completely free, so be sure to message and/or email with any questions.