Cape May Cafe

Another food post?  Terrific.  Today, I'm just going to let the pictures speak for themselves in describing the amazing seafood spread at Cape May's Clam Bake dinner.  Yeah, it tasted even better than it looks. 

Ready for Summer!

The guys enjoyed all the adventure on our trip to Typhoon Lagoon, but the girls hung out most of the day in the lazy river.  Do you head out to the waterparks or relax at the pool on hot afternoons at Disney?

Club Cool!

As the weather warms up here, its getting HOT in Florida.  One of our favorite places to cool off a bit is Club Cool at Epcot.  They offer some neat flavored carbonated beverages from around the world. 
In our house, we all like different flavors.  Have you ever been to Club Cool?  Whats your favorite flavor?

50's prime time cafe

I love when my food also serves as my entertainment.  I have a great story from Junior High about a cake, but I'll save that for another day.  Today, I want to talk about a great, entertaining dining option at Hollywood Studios.  If you're looking for something to do with that teen or pre-teen who really thinks they are too cool for a character meal-this might be your solution. 

At 50's Prime Time Cafe, you're one of the family.  Literally.  There's all kinds of crazy antics.  When you walk in, you are transported to a 1950's living room area to wait.  Served by "uncles" "cousins" and other family, you learn quickly to use your manners and clean your plate.  Serving homecooked favorites like chicken, pot roast, and meatloaf along with hearty vegetables, you'll get a great meal for your money, just remember Keep your elbows off the table. 

My First Trip!

Ok, so I might not remember every detail from my first trip to Disney, where I celebrated my 10th birthday.  The great thing about pictures is that I can look back and see that my brother and I did get along, at least for a few minutes!  Here's a picture of us on Dumbo!

My parents didn't know what they were doing when they took that first trip in 1989 to visit Disney world.  In those days, there were only two parks.  We didn't stay on property, and no one even knew what a meal plan was!  It didn't stop them from taking us to eat at the Castle though!  This trip is where my love of all things Disney truly began.

So often, I hear people talk about the "perfect" age to go to Disney. We've taken our daughter at 2, 3 and she'll go this summer as a 4 year old.  She won't remember all the details, but she will remember that we took trips together as a family.  We took a 14 year old with us a few years ago, and she loved it.  She collected autographs, rode big and little kid rides, and explored the countries.  This summer, I'm taking my best friend.  She's going to have a birthday while we're there, and its her first trip.  There's something magical about vacationing with people you love.  It shows you're willing to take time out from everyday life to spend time together.  That is probably half of the magic.

The perfect age for Disney is every age-from newborns to great-grandparents, there's something for everyone.  Thats what makes Disney special.  It's not just thrill rides, outdoor sports, or kiddie rides.  It's family time, doing things together and enjoying life. 

German Dining!

 I am sure I have shared before about how I used to skip the World Showcase because it did not interest me at all.  Well, times are changing, and I have started forcing myself to spend time exploring the countries.  My husband has always wanted to do this, so he is happy about my change of heart.  My 4 year old daughter seems to enjoy doing the kidcot fun stops, so I really have no excuse. 

I am surprised to learn that I actually enjoy these explorations and have spent more time on the two most recent trips enjoying the world showcase than I ever have in the entire time I've been going to Disney. 

Over the Christmas break, we wanted to do the Candelight Dinner package, and at the prompting of some friends, tried Biergarten in the Germany Pavillion. 

This place was amazing!  The food was great (I could eat pretzel bread until I passed out if you let me) and the entertainment was even better!  It was interactive, information and just plain fun! 

What world showcase pavillion is your favorite? 

Pixie Dust!

We are always looking for new and exciting ways to explore at Disney, while not spending any extra money!  On a recent trip, we went to Castle Couture located behind the castle near Bippidi Boppidi Boutique and enjoyed a magic sprinkling of pixie dust on our little fairy princess. 

This was a great way to make some magic without rushing around, making reservations, or spending any extra cash.  I will issue a small word of warning that it does take several washings to get ALL of the glitter out, but we didn't mind taking a little glitter home with us!

T-Rex!

Often compared with the Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex is a sit down restaurant at Downtown Disney. 

The food we had was great, from appetizers to sandwiches, pastas and desserts, we had a great time.  In keeping with the spirit of the restaurant, there is a prehistoric cave, several different lifelike dinosaurs, and plenty of adventure to be had!  While this restaurant is noisy, it is also a great place to take boys for a special dinner or night out.  People like to draw attention to all of the princess-style attractions and meals for girls, and while girls might enjoy T-Rex (ours did); it is an even better experience for the little guys. 

I would issue one word of caution: If loud noises or large objects scare your little ones, you may want to ask if you can take a look around before deciding to dine, because as a sit-down restaurant, you'll probably spend an hour or more inside. 

Have you eaten at T-Rex?  What did you enjoy?

The 1st fireworks display at WDW took place at the official dedication of the Polynesian Village Hotel on Oct. 24, 1971.

On one of our recent trips, we went over to the Polynesian for a Dole whip and headed down to the beach to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks one evening.  This is a great way to relax and spend some time on the beach, creating magical memories.

The date above the hall of presidents is the year the constitution was drafted.

and that year is: 1787.  

There are no bathrooms located in Liberty Square, in keeping with the time period of that area.

If you're traveling with little ones, you better take a break before you get there!

Each of the scenes in the Jungle Cruise attraction is taken from the True-Life Adventure Film Series that Walt Disney produced in the early 1960's.

As a shout-out to my husband and brother in law-they love that series from the 1960's. They will tell you it won them a heated game of Disney trivia once--and here's another fun fact--they cheated!

the red bricks on main street are to represent a red carpet to make you feel like you are entering/part of the show!

Oh the details!  How often do I tell you that it is in the details!  What makes Disney different from every other theme park on earth?  Probably a red carpet or something!

Did you know that when fish in the Living Seas do not maintain a "meets expectations" score on their annual performance reviews they are unceremoniously dumped in the World Showcase Lagoon?

Ok, so thats not true.  It is however very funny, and the world needs more laughter. 

In 1996-97, to celebrate Walt Disney World's 25th anniversary, the castle was transformed into a huge "cake" with large decorations and more than 400 gallons of pink paint.

There’s one million square feet of rockwork at Disney’s Animal Kingdom . . . that’s twice the volume of rockwork in the Mt. Rushmore sculptures or a volume that could create a monolith 10 feet by 10 feet by two miles high.

First dirt, then rocks.  That animal Kingdom is one exciting place!

Sixty dump trucks of dirt were delivered to Disney’s Animal Kingdom construction site every day for two years straight, equaling 4.4 million cubic yards of dirt.

Animal Kingdom facts are usually among my favorite (aside from facts about Toy Story Midway Mania).  This one is no exception.  I mean, really? who doesn't love facts about 60 dump trucks full of dirt?

The complete inventory of vehicles at "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show" includes more than 20 custom-built cars, 10 stunt motorcycles and two high-powered personal watercrafts.

It also takes over 35 cast members (actors, technicians and others) for the actual show.  This doesn't include cast members helping seat guests, or giving directions near the entrance.

From bonsai to roses, there's something for every gardening guru at the annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Disney horticulturists rotate the crops twice during the festival to keep the 30 million blossoms colorful and fresh.

The Flower and Garden Festival is coming up in March!  Have you made plans to visit? 

Disney Spring room Discount!

Save up to 30%* on rooms at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels for stays most nights 2/18–3/23/13 and 4/2–6/14/13.

Now is a great time to take advantage of spectacular savings at Walt Disney World® Resort hotels. Stay at a select Disney Resort hotel and save up to 30%. Or, add a minimum 4-Day Magic Your Way Ticket and save even more!

With New Fantasyland open, it’s the perfect time to plan your next family vacation! Immerse your family in some of Disney’s most popular stories and create memories to last a lifetime. We get 18 summers with our children, make each one count!

It'ss my job it is to help make planning your Disney vacation stress free and make sure that you get the most out of your vacation.  I love Disney, I love my job, and I love helping people experience magic!  I can help you determine what is most important for your family, so you get the most out of your vacation dollars.

You’ll get our insider tips for avoiding the long lines and crowds, knowing the best locations for parade and fireworks viewing (without sitting on the curb for hours), where the best dining locations are, making sure you meet your favorite characters, quiet places to relax and take a break, plus lots of extra magical touches along the way. I will monitor your reservation for any available discounts or special offers. Should something become available, I’ll apply it to your reservation  right away and contact you with your new lower vacation package pricing. Let me take care of the details so you can focus on fun with your family!

If you're ready to start planning, fill out the quote request on the right, or send me an email sara@magicalmemoriestravel.com

26.2 miles of bratwurst are served every 60 days at the Biergarten restaurant in the Germany pavilion. That, by the way, is the length of a marathon.

It's marathon weekend at WDW.  Why not stop by for some bratwurst?

The Land has a "tomato tree" that is the only one of its kind in the United States. The massive plant has produced a world-record harvest of more than 32,000 tomatoes from a single vine.

I love tomatoes!