"We Kiss, We Dance, We schmooze, We go home happy..."

Good Morning! Look! We had a reservation!!!

Ever have one of those morning where you get up really early and still get nothing accomplished??! Ugh! I scanned a bunch of pictures in for the blog yesterday and didn't bother to check them before I saved them until now and of course, NONE, that's right, NOT ONE of them scanned correctly. So I am attaching this happy picture of me and my friend Danielle at the restaurant Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Resort on today's post hoping that the entire day has no intention of going this way.

Welllll....not so much. I was going to blog about one thing today, but I've decided that I'd rather blog about something else. I just got off the phone with Walt Disney World dining reservations to book the ever coveted restaurant, Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada at EPCOT. For October 5th. OCTOBER 5th! Was there any availability? Now remember the way my day is going so far and ask yourself again was there any availability? That's right...NO. For October 5th!! Le Cellier! I said to the cast member on the phone "Really? I mean, it's not like it's the castle..." to which she replied. "This restaurant has become more popular than the castle. I've had guests call just asking when this restaurant is available so they can plan they're vacation around when they get a reservation." O...M...G.

This is the reason that I rant...book your dining reservations! You are not being crazy booking them so far in advance, cause you know what? If you don't someone else will. It's just plain silly to not plan, especially if you book the dining plan. What good are pre-paid meals if you can't get into the restaurants to eat them or have to waste 45 minutes of your park-going day to wait for a table? So needless to say that I took a lunch reservation for my client and I will be checking back everyday looking for a cancellation for dinner. You know what, this is kind of nice, personally I'm not about sugar-coating things, and I'm able to say what I mean on this blog. I only want what's best for my clients. I want to get them the best price and the most memorable vacation they can have. Until tomorrow!

Use Your Table Manners in Front of the Princesses...

Good Morning!!

I had continue the princesses bit, cause really, I could go on and on but I won't. I know its a hot topic. There were more pics of my sister and me with the princesses so I included them in this entry.

There are two other character meals on property that have the sacred princesses besides Cinderella's Royal Table in the Castle of Magic Kingdom. One is called Restaurant Akershus in the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT, the other is in Disney's Grand Floridian Resort in the restaurant 1900 Park Fare (one of my favorite locations that I've previously bragged (I mean blogged) about their fantastic character breakfast.

Of course for both the character breakfasts in the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, you need to be able to get into the parks, which means you need park admission. But the one at the Grand Floridian doesn't require that being in a resort. In Norway, you'll find a combination of 4-5 princesses (all subject to change) in a beautiful Norwegian style banquet hall. Cinderella will not be there. Usually this is where you're going to find Princesses Jasmine, Aurora, Belle, Pocahontas, or Ariel, among others. Its available at either breakfast, lunch, or dinner, although I usually recommend the breakfast to my clients. The lunch and dinner are fine, but it being in Norway, the food has a Norwegian flare to it. If I'm going to book that, I will first ask how adventurous my clients are as eaters. :) The breakfast is a regular American style one, the lunch and dinner having things like a variety of meats and cheeses, salmon, potatoes, that sort of thing. If you like to eat adventurously, the food is pretty good. :) And its all served all you can eat family style.

At the Grand Floridian Resort in 1900 Park Fare, its American style food and this is where you'll find Cinderella and her storybook friends. Usually her stepsisters, the mice, the fairy Godmother, and I've even seen her handsome Prince there. "So this is love mmmmm...so this is loooove..." Sorry, got caught up there for a second. :)

It's a buffet at dinner just like breakfast of American style food, pastas, chicken, meat, sides, desserts, etc. and usually a good back up for the people who don't get into the castle or don't want to go into the park. Its not that I don't have a lot to say about this location, I just booked it for a client 2 days ago, I recommend it, and enjoy it. So there. I'm feeling very to the point today. There are other things to do at Walt Disney World that involve the princesses...but to hear about those you're just going to have to stay tuned..... (can you stand the suspense!!)

Princesses, Pirates, Moms and Dads

Good Morning! Both last night and today I have been booking Princesses Princesses Princesses. So I thought it appropriate to add more pictures of that fantastic breakfast that my sister and I went to in Cinderella's Castle in October of 2005. Cinderella's Royal Table is the "holy grail" of character reservations. I have the calendar on my blog for a reason! I kid you not, the phone lines for Disney Dining open at 7 am eastern time, and they start ringing immediately with eager parents trying to get into this character meals for their vacation 6 months (180 days) away!!

What little princess wouldn't loooove it? You eat in the castle, you meet the fairy godmother, you get a gift, ANNNND....if you really want to do it up, get a lunch or dinner reservation and take her to the Bippity Boppity Boutique beforehand to get her all dressed up as a princess! They'll do her hair, makeup, the whole nine yards (for a price, of course) but those are the things that make the vacation magical, aren't they? The Boutique is like a hair salon, so you need an "appointment" or reservation for this as well. Don't worry, they can do moms too!! And we wouldn't want the little "princes" left out, so walk right on over to Adventureland just outside the entrance to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and have him made up like a mini-Jack Sparrow! "Arrrrrrrr!!!!"

Bueller? Bueller? Blogger?

Good Evening! I'm on here a little late tonight but I have a question and I don't know if anyone who is reading this blog could answer it. What am I doing wrong? Seriously. I saw today a kid in college's blog here on the same website (it was funny I will give him that) and all he does is complain about things. That's fine. Use your blog for whatever you'd like. I choose mine to be for a service. I know there are people out there who need help booking their Walt Disney World vacations and I am the "gal" to come to. But back to this college kid, he has like 164 followers, and he hasn't been on as long as me! What what whaaaat?? I don't get it...so I ask again, what am I doing wrong? Should I be writing a blog more about the things that I don't like about Walt Disney World? I couldn't. There's no way. I mean, really, I have my pet peeves about certain things, we all do but I can't hate on something that I love and want to share my expertise with everyone else.

This blog was meant to be in a question/answer format, but I need more people to be reading it. So I guess I will "jazz up" my page a bit and make it more visually appealing. I can do that, I'm an arteest! LOL. So anyway, if you're out there reading this, before you pick up the phone to call Disney and wait on hold and get someone who may or may not care, and may or may not be having a bad day, and then you forget to ask something so you have to call back and get a DIFFERENT person who gives you a totally different answer than someone else because they may or may not care....and goes around in the circle all over again....call me. Email me...comment on my page. Ask questions. I promise I will steer you in the right direction to the best of my ability to make sure that you have a wonderful vacation. I'm a travel agent, that's my job. Until tomorrow...A bientot!! :)

Ahhhhh....Paris!

Good Morning! I know all I blog about on here is Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I was feeling a little nostalgic this morning and wanted to include a picture from the year 1999 that I spent working on a work exchange program through Disney at Disneyland Paris. Ahhhhh, Paris. Its a beautiful city and I haven't been back since 2002, but it feels like only yesterday. So if any of you who read this blog are interested in a trip to Europe, you know the travel agent to get in touch with. ;)

I could go on and on about Disneyland Paris, the park is exquisite. I found it amusing how everyone who worked there would compare it with everyone who worked at Walt Disney World in Orlando and compare it with everyone who worked at Disneyland in California! It was like a competition because everyone thought they worked at the best park. I wonder if the people in China and Japan think the same? I'm sure they probably do.

This picture was taken in the beginning of the program, one of the first (of many) times we went to the park, all of us on Main Street, USA in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle. I made lifelong friends there, and two of my roommates were even bridesmaids at my wedding. Sometimes I wish I could just go back for a day and relive it. You never realize what you've got until its over. I'm sure everyone feels that way about something in their lives and if you don't, you will. :)

Good times. :)

A Nibble Here And A Sip There...

Good Morning!! Today I am abandoning the table service dining for a moment because one of my clients asked a couple of questions about something I am very passionate about that is very fun and definitely a something to blog about!! While we are patiently waiting for the dates and prices to be released for the Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party in the fall, there is another event that goes on in EPCOT pretty much during the same time frame. This is EPCOT's International Food and Wine Festival! Woot woot! LOL! While the MNSSHP is great fun for adults and kids alike, this is geared towards the adults, but they do have fun things for the kids to do as well!

In past years, these activities have included the "Eat to the Beat" Concert Series, the Party For the Senses (one of my husband's and my first dates), Food and Wine Pairings, and special guest chefs and speakers. Most of these things you can attend if you make a reservation and some of them are at an additional charge. Any reservations can be made by calling the dining phone number or asking your travel agent like me (hint hint)!!! But the other part of the food and wine that people look forward to are the booths set up around the World Showcase Pavilion that offer samplings of food and wine for a small price from different countries! You can go from booth to booth and sanple delicious little bites from the cuisine of that country or have some regional wine.

And as another added bonus, for those guests who are on the dining plan, some of the food counts as "snacks"! Generally the prices range from $3-$8 each and make sure you eat as much as you drink (teehee) :) ....get some international culture too!!

"Superca-, Superca-, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Quite Right You Said It, Well Done!"

Good Morning! It's a supercalifragilistic day! And that's why I'm blogging about a supercalifragilistic breakfast! These pictures are taken from one of the many times that I've been to the character breakfast at 1900 Park Fare at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. These were taken in 1998, so I definitely am going to update with more recent pictures, cause I don't think these are flattering AT ALL!! But I'll share. I'm not shy. :) I would have to say that this is in my Top 5 favorite meals on property. Not only is the food good, but these are some of my favorite characters.

Two of my favorite classic Disney movies combined in one breakfast, it doesn't get much better than this for me! The characters at the breakfast are from my all time favorite animated feature, Alice in Wonderland and one of my favorite live action movies Mary Poppins. They are subject to change, as always, but usually Mary Poppins is there, Alice, the Mad Hatter, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger!

The food is as always yummy. I'm a fan of the buffets at Walt Disney World. Put all joking aside for a moment, to eat on property (if you don't have the dining plan) is pricey. So in my opinion, how could you go wrong with a buffet? All you can eat and drink (non alcoholic of course) and get some pictures taken with characters as well? Sign me up! I'm a breakfast person, not everyone is, but I am. There is everything my breakfast-loving heart desires at this character meal. including scrambled eggs, bacon, create you own omelet station, a dread station with bagels, breads, pastries, lox and cream cheese, fruits, sausage, waffles (mickey shaped of course), the list goes on! And those are just some of the staples! They change it up every so often.

1900 Park Fare is open at breakfast and dinner, but at dinner its a completely different character meal. So if Mary Poppins is who you're going to see, this is the only character meal that she is at (usually--you may catch her in the castle from time to time) and you have to go at breakfast. During the dinner service, you'll find Cinderella and her storybook friends, who are usually her stepsisters, the mice, the Fairy Godmother, and sometimes even Prince Charming himself stops by. Just to reiterate, if this sounds altogether delicious to you, make your dining reservations!

Planning Your Dining...Its A Must!

Good Morning! I must have better pictures of the Contemporary Resort than this!! Hahaa...Top is cut off and its a RAINY DAY! And I can't remember what we were doing there but I would guess its probably EATING! Now I know that I haven't really blogged about any restaurants yet, but the time has come...

Disney's Contemporary Resort has some of the yummiest restaurants on property. And you don't have to be a guest of that resort to eat at them. Please note, if you happen to be a guest of the Contemporary Resort that also means that it does not entitle you to dining reservations. You have to make them like everyone else, and if there is no availability, sorry Charlie.

Today I am going to focus on Chef Mickey's. It is one of the most popular restaurants on Walt Disney World Property. The basics are that it's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; it is a buffet at all three dining periods and it is a character meal at all three dining periods. This means that while you are dining the characters that are featured at that restaurant will visit each and every table to take pictures with you and sign your autograph books (much nicer than standing on line at a hot, crowded theme park may I add).

So at Chef Mickey's Restaurant the characters (who are subject to change) are Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy. This is what makes it so popular. Not only is it the "Fab 5" characters, it is the only restaurant out of 200+ that has both Mickey and Minnie Mouse there at the same dining period. Otherwise you'll get one or the other at a different restaurant usually.

The buffet is also one of the biggest on Disney property, it is huge! Anything and everything you can think of at the meal period that you are dining during and more! They can accomodate for people with special dietary needs and food allergies as well! And the food is delicious! We're not talking gross food thats been sitting out for hours. Everything is fresh and constantly being re-set. The servers are friendly, and every twenty minutes or so the music pumps up and everyone starts twirling their napkins high above their head to the songs!

Dining reservations open up to availability for most Walt Disney World restaurants 180 days in advance. And this is one of the restaurants that you'll want to book ASAP. Like I said, it is one of the most popular and books up FAST! Be very flexible if you're calling or getting on the internet last minute cause at that point usually if you're finding a dining time, you should take it! Once you've made your reservation if you need to cancel, no big deal at this location, but please do instead of just not showing up to open up the dining time in the system for someone else who is looking for a reservation there. It's common courtesy. Disney asks that you leave enough travel time (this includes walking time) to get to your reservation about 10 minutes before the scheduled time to check in, try not to be late! They have so many people trying to get into restaurants that they usually won't hold reservations past fifteen minutes! I know that it seems like a lot of planning while you're on "vacation", but believe me it is better than no planning at all and not being able to get in anywhere!!

Bon Appetit!

Some Castle Trivia For My Readers

Goooood Morning! Seriously, how many pictures of different angles of Cinderella's Castle do you think I have? I have no idea either! Here's a bit of trivia that you may not have known. At Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, its Cinderella's Castle; at Disneyland in California and Hong Kong Disneyland its Sleeping Beauty's Castle; and at Disneyland Paris, its La Chateau De La Belle Au Bois Dormant (in English Sleeping Beauty's Castle)...

How many bricks were used to build Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World? You have to read the whole blog to find out! :)

One of the things that I love most about Cinderella's Castle is the attention to detail surrounding the structure. When you walk through it, immediately you see Cinderella's Carousel spinning around with happy kiddo's smiling while riding it, and The Sword in The Stone placed right in front of the Carousel between it and the Castle with children trying to become the next King Arthur. But as you're walking through the archway, pay attention on the left wall at the mural done completely in tile of Cinderella trying on her glass slipper... gorgeous. And also on the left you'll find one of the locations for the Bippity Boppity Boutique, a salon where every little girl can be transformed into a princess. Just in time for their dining reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table, the most challenging restaurant to get a reservation to on Walt Disney World property where the entrance is located on the right hand side right across from the boutique.

The Royal Table is located upstairs in the castle and is fashioned after a 15th century dining hall complete with stained glass windows and tapestries. It is a character dining experience where you'll be greeted by Cinderella and her friends while feasting on either breakfast lunch or dinner. Ask if they have any available window seats when you arrive to check in. If they don't no big deal, what's the harm in asking? If they do you will have a bird's eye view of Fantasyland that's fantastic!

If you'd like to find a great spot to take a picture, walk through the archway of the Castle and turn right once you're behind it. Walk down the little pathway with the Castle on your right, and you'll come upon a wishing well. Snow White's wishing well to be exact where its a perfect spot to have a picture taken with the castle in the background. Afterwards, continue to walk down the path and you'll approach on your left a small theater with wooden benched that look as if they were carved from logs. This is where Belle does here Storybook Reading a certain times each day. When you get to the park in the morning and pick up your times guide with the parade and firework times, the Storybook times will be on it as well (subject to change, of course!).

And how many bricks were used to build Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World??

-0. It's fiberglass. :)

What A Great Day!

Good Morning!!

I look at this photo and think "what a great day..." That's what I hope to be able to help my clients and "Disney friends" achieve! That even if you're looking at a photo 12 years later and may not remember all the events of the day or every minute, that the photo can take you back to a happy minute, when you were on vacation. And you can also think "what a great day".

For me, this was one of our days off while I was on the College Program in 1998, and we decided to "play in the parks" as we called it. Walking around what was then The Disney MGM Studios and now is the Disney Hollywood Studios and saw Goofy. Not a worry at the time. We were just hanging out. Good times. :)

As my advice today, I have had people asking me "which resort I prefer...this one or that one..." Now I can definitely point you in the right direction. And also point you towards this blog (hee hee)...and I can give you the amenities and the pros and cons of each resort. It really makes me proud that people are asking my opinion while starting the planning phase for their Walt Disney World vacation. I get just as excited as they do. :)

My advice is to USE THE INTERNET. It is a fantastic tool. You can go on Walt Disney World's website and see pictures and read the amenities of the resort. That's where I always recommend that people start off. Then, once you've narrowed it down to say two or three resorts, ask me. Take my advice, but with a grain of salt. I would hope thats what anyone would think to do. Use the websites like tripadvisor.com. Take those people's comments into mind...but with a grain of salt. You know that some people just get on those sites because they NEVER have anything nice to say. And some people really do want to give an honest evaluation of the resort. This is with any resort that I recommend to clients. Even me recommendations are just that, my personal opinions and as you well know, everyone is different. So if I recommend something that you think isn't quite what you were looking for your family, tell me and I will tweak it until we get it right! :) I would hope that all travel agents would want to do this...and then you could come home from your "magical" vacation and look at the pictures and think "what a great day..."

Who's the Princess on this Vacation? YOU!!

Good Afternoon! OK, it's official...I have been slacking. I have my reasons, er, um excuses whatever you want to call them. My younger brother was in town last week and I didn't get much chance to do anything. Yes, that's an excuse. So to make up for it I am going to try and write two or more blogs per day for the next week.

The picture for this entry isn't really what the blog's about. But I love it. Its a picture I took from the queue of the Tower of Terror at The Disney Hollywood Studios. I can't believe how many times I talk to people who have been to Walt Disney World a lot and say that they've never been on that attraction. Sure, bottoming out doesn't leave a great feeling in your stomach, but I can't help but laugh. Every time I ride it I laugh uncontrollable. And then ever since they changed it to be a different number of drops and how far you fall is different every time you ride it, it's fantastic. I will have to get a picture scanned of my family riding it, but it is at my parent's house.

Well, I had a client ask me to book them a spa reservation this week while they're on their Walt Disney World vacation and it got me to thinking how much I love the Spa at the Grand Floridian Resort and that I haven't blogged about it yet. Until now. Unfortunately I don't think I have any pictures of us at the spa, but I usually go with my sister. We love the one at the Grand Floridian. Its the creme de la creme, and I compare all spas that I go to it. I've also been to the one at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort; but just to get a manicure and pedicure, and I've been to the beauty salon at The Yacht Club Resort (that's where I got my hair, nails, and tootsies done for our wedding). But nothing compares to the standard of the one at the Grand Floridian.

The best day we spent there (yes I said day) was in 2005 when my sister and I went for a day long spa package. We started at 10 am I think and didn't get out until around 2. Let me tell you that this is no easy feat for someone of my go go go attitude. As much as I love a facial or a massage, even I found it challenging to lay in an aromatherapy scented tub for twenty long minutes without getting a little antsy. But it came with the package so if I must I must. :)

I think one of the best things about the spa at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort is that as long as you have a spa appointment for that day, you can get there as early as you want or stay as late as you want afterwards to use the hot tub, shower, gym and relaxation facilities. Upon entering, you're ushered towards the locker room, where you get your incredibly fluffy comfy robe and slippers and then you can choose to sit in the lounge and read a magazine, make yourself some hot tea, and have some fruit, or go to the hot tub or sauna while you wait for your name to be called for your session. Besides the time that we did the package which included a facial, 50 minute massage, and the aromatherapy bath, I've also returned several times for the stress relief facial I loved it so much.

There is also a gym there, which is free for guests staying at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and they don'e have to have a spa reservation to use it.

Now I'm not saying that any of these services are economical, but worth it....(to me) yes. Get pampered, you're on vacation! After my hectic life, 20 minutes of being treated like a princess in the land of make believe is worth every penny. So where do you think I'm going to call come Monday morning for the client who asked me to book her a spa reservation. "You choose, Jenn I trust your judgement..." One guess.... :)

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

Good Morning!! Not to dwell on Animal Kingdom, but in my last blog entry I mentioned that we had my husband's 30th birthday dinner at Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge and I came across this group shot of it so I decided to share. One thing that always bothers me about this picture though is if you notice there is a gray-haired woman smiling standing to the right of me....she's not in our family! She was a server there, not even our server and I always wondered if she happened to be passing by and smiling or if she was really smiling for the camera? Hmmm....that has always kind of irritated me. I mean, really, my husband's mom was visiting from KY, and four of the other family members I rarely see were visiting from NY, so this was a picture that we do't get everyday. AND THE SERVER IS IN IT!! Well, that's my rant about the picture.

On a lighter note, LOOK AT THAT DESSERT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE!! YUM! Deep fried Oreo cookies? Can we say Heaven on a plate? LOL! With chocolate sauce drizzled all over them and sprinkles and pieces of cut fruit! O....M....G!!! They were awesome. The dinner was delish as well, as always.

I remember the first time that I went to Boma. It was when it first opened, in or around 2001. I was working then at The Animation Tour Attraction as an artist and we technically worked for Feature Animation so we received passes for us and a guest for a special preview viewing of Atlantis, The Lost Empire in the theater at Feature Animation at the Studios. One of the coolest things I have ever done. Well it was the beginning of June so I took my dad for a Father's Day present. I didn't tell him where we were going afterwards but first we went to Boma to try out the "new" restaurant on property and gave him his ticket during dinner. We had such fun! The food was good even for being a new restaurant at the time and the movie part was so cool too!!

What a great memory. :)

Anyway, the just a little info on Boma, its a buffet of African-flavored food. Some people think it adventurous, but I was always taught you have to try something before you say you don't like it.

They have 3 - 4 soups on hand on any given night that are delicious and a carving station, salad station, hot sides, and dessert station with the ever-so-popular zebra cakes .Mmmmmm...... Little chocolate cake with white and dark chocolate striped frosting on top. I give Boma two thumbs up and recommend it to all my clients who are looking for something a little different.