08/08/2012

Tee and Erin from That's IT Mommy

Two of our favorite local bloggers offer up their take on Disney parks in SoCal AND Florida. Check out their must-sees and must-eats!

Whether you’re heading down Main Street USA at Disneyland in Anaheim, or at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, you will always find people celebrating. After all, Disney is the Happiest Place on Earth!

The first mission for many Disney guests, whether it’s their first time or 500th, is a trip to Guest Services or City Hall to find the pin that reflects whatever special event has brought them to the park. We love the way Cast Members personalize the pins – whether it’s the number of years a couple has been married, the birthday person’s name, wedding dates or the fill-in-the-blank “I’m Celebrating!” pin. Wishing complete strangers a happy birthday or congratulating them on their engagement, wedding or anniversary is always fun!

Tee’s Must-Sees and Must-Eats at Disneyland and Nearby

• Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough

The castle’s design is based on the famous Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria, Germany. I had the pleasure of visiting Neuschwanstein once upon a time with my husband and his family, taking a horse-drawn carriage to the castle. Now, I get to relive my Neuschwanstein visit every time I visit Disneyland. You can take a horse-drawn trolley ride to the end of Disneyland’s Main Street and walk through Sleeping Beauty’s castle gate. Walk through narrow passage ways, climb stairs and followed the story of Princess Aurora. Did you know that you can “tie-the-knot” here? What a fairytale wedding that would be!

• The Plaza Inn

Begin your morning here with “Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park” Character Dining. I can’t think of a nicer way to start your day than with a visit from Minnie! You can enjoy a nice buffet while the kids are collecting autographs. You can also schedule a “My Disneyland Birthday Party” at the Plaza Inn. Birthday guests are treated to music, cake decorating and more for an extra charge.

• Fantasmic

Watch Mickey battle classic Disney villains and other evil at the Rivers of America in Frontierland. The special effects, lasers and music definitely makes this one of Disneyland’s highlights.

• Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen

The caramel apples are my favorite, with the chocolate-dipped strawberries a close second! We usually wrap up the day here. A caramel apple helps us make it to our car and we usually take treats home to make our Disney moment last! We always have fun watching the candy chefs create the sweets right in front of our eyes.

• California Adventure Park

Celebrating their newest area – Cars Land – this park really stands on its own. Guests can explore Radiator Springs and meet famous Disney/Pixar Cars characters, ride great rides like Radiator Spring Racers  and enjoy lots of photo opps. At the park’s Animation Academy in Hollywood Land, animators help you draw some of your favorite Disney characters! Adults entering the Mad T Party (learn the password and enter through the Rabbit Hole) can drink and dance the night away. Or end the day with World of Color, an entertaining water show featuring Disney characters illuminated on the water.  Reserve a dinner package from Carthay Circle Restaurant or Wine Country Trattoria. Skipping dinner? Pick up your fastpast ticket for the show at the Grizzly River Run FASTPASS distribution area upon entering the park.

• Jazz Kitchen Express

Can’t make it to New Orleans? Then head to Downtown Disney for a New Orleans treat, beignets! Share the delightful beignets with friends (or not) at outside tables and people watch. The more powered sugar the better! Make sure to grab some extra napkins!

Erin’s Favorite Foods From Walt Disney World Resort

• Cinderella’s Royal Table

At Cinderella’s Castle, the Princesses visit every table, and kids get special props (they even get to keep them!) to take part in a magical mini-show! We’ve been for breakfast, and it was enough food to keep you full all day.

• The Crystal Palace

Here’s the perfect character restaurant for anyone who loves Winnie the Pooh and Friends! Our birthday celebration several years ago included a cupcake and card autographed by Pooh, Eeyore,Tigger, Piglet, Kanga and Roo!

• Main Street Bakery

Indulge in the ultimate ice cream sandwich – two huge chocolate chip cookies filled with three scoops of vanilla ice cream. Bring your friends for this one!

• Coral Reef Restaurant

This eatery in EPCOT’s Future World lets you dine with the fishes! There are huge windows into the aquarium tanks that allow guests to stay entertained while dining on an amazing assortment of dishes from the surf, as well as the turf.

• The World Showcases

This EPCOT attraction is the perfect way to travel the world without breaking the bank. You can celebrate Oktoberfest in Germany, have a romantic Mexican dinner overlooking Mayan ruins, practice belly dancing in Morocco, saw away into a delicious steak in Canada, or swing your napkins while the waiters and waitresses sing Finiculi Finicula in Italy! You could also try a traditional Japanese hibachi restaurant, a beautifully decorated Chinese restaurant, head to England for fish and chips and a pint or dine in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Les Chefs de France – the ultimate in nouvelle cuisine! Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway and the Garden Grill Restaurant at The Land Pavilion are your choices if you’ve got little ones who are itching to eat with the princesses or Mickey and his gang. Every fall, EPCOT hosts the International Food and Wine Festival – one of our favorite special events! They add numerous kiosks to the World Showcase, allowing our around-the-world journey to expand beyond the 11 countries we always visit.

• The Fantasmic Dining Experience

The best kept secret at Disney’s Hollywood Studios costs extra, but I can honestly say it’s amazing! You have your choice of lunch or dinner at The Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose or Hollywood and Vine. The best deal is to book the last seating for lunch – saves you money and you still get the benefit of priority seating for the Fantasmic show at night! We chose Mama Melrose and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had at any of the parks. They were very accommodating, the choices were outstanding and the meals were absolutely amazing!

• Starring Rolls Cafe

Here you’ll find the most delicious cupcakes in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s a hidden little gem that’s worth finding!

• Tusker House

This restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers all-you-can-eat character dining that introduces diners to traditional foods – as well as a selection of African-inspired choices for the adventurous palate. There’s an 18 foot long spit that is constantly roasting meats!

• The Yak and Yeti

Another Animal Kingdom eatery takes you on an adventure to the base of Mount Everest, where you can sample foods with Chinese, Indian and Nepalese flavors. They’ve even got a gift shop for shoppers looking for unique Asian-inspired wares to remind them of their trip!

Tee and Erin blog at That's IT Mommy and regularly contribute to LAParent.com. Visit them at ThatsITMommy.com.