My Disney Picks

This was the view from my Contemporary room in 2010.

A Disney Dream Vacation(These are my picks if money is not tight): 

Where to stay:

Want to see Epcot? Stay at the Boardwalk Resort and request a park-view room on the highest level.  The view of Illuminations is incredible and the night-life options at the Boardwalk are fantastic! There’s also free live entertainment on the boardwalk pretty much every night.

Want to see the Magic Kingdom? Stay in Disney’s Contemporary Resort – it is my favorite resort – great shopping, great dining, and extremely convenient transportation.  Request a Magic Kingdom view room. The 9^th floor is my favorite – you’re right next to Space Mountain and when you walk out of the door of your room, you can look down at Chef Mickey’s and see the characters walking around below.

Want to see the Animal Kingdom? Stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and request a savannah view room.  You can actually feed the giraffes out your window if you stay in just the right spot.  Ask the agent helping you book your room to make sure your room will be exactly what you want.

Unfortunately, Hollywood Studios isn’t very easily seen from any resort hotel.   It would be fantastic to watch Fantasmic from a balcony view.  Maybe in the Tower of Terror someday? ;)

Where to eat:

Disney has so many unique dining opportunities.  Since I am writing this in my own opinion, I’ll share the meals I’d eat if money were no object and I had time to enjoy them all.  Remember that if Disney is aware of an allergy in your group, they will make it safe for you to eat in any restaurant and it WILL be safe.  The farther in advance you can alert them to your allergy, the better. Mention it as you make each reservation and again when you are seated.

In the parks, my favorite meals are:

• (Magic Kingdom)Cinderella Castle breakfast is something you have to do at least once.  The food is great and the characters are even more charming when you know you’re eating in a castle.  They spend ample time at your table and it makes for fabulous pictures.  My father and I love to try to get the earliest reservation on a day when the Magic Kingdom does not have extra magic hours so that we can be in Fantasyland when the park opens.  Once this even allowed for my daughters to ride the Mad Hatter’s Teacups with Alice and the White Rabbit – a memory I’ll treasure forever!
•  (Magic Kingdom)Be Our Guest – lunch or dinner.  Reservations for dinner are required right now since the restaurant is so new and popular, but you don’t need a reservation for lunch and the service was quick.  We had lunch there and it was some of the most fairly priced food we ate and also most delicious!
• (Magic Kingdom)Crystal Palace – it’s the cheapest of the Disney buffets and I think it has the best selection of food.  Winnie the Pooh and friends come around to visit at each table and to top it all, the restaurant is beautiful!
• (EPCOT)Le Cellier Steakhouse – down toward the back of the Canadian pavilion is a beautiful, dark restaurant that serves amazing soup, fantastic steaks, and has a broad selection of wines.  It’s pricey, but the food is great and the atmosphere is just as good.
• (EPCOT)Restaurant Marrakesh  in the Moroccan pavilion provides an incredible dining experience for lunch or dinner.  They serve authentic Moroccan food and the interior of the restaurant make you feel like you are truly in Morocco.  It’s a great dining experience.
• (EPCOT)Lunch at the Coral Reef restaurant in EPCOT.  The food here is wonderful and the view is peaceful and relaxing – a perfect respite from the hot Florida sun.  You sit inside the aquarium and can order from a menu of fantastic seafood dishes (of course, there are landlubber options as well).
• (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)Sci-Fi Dine in Theater – I’d couple this with the Fantasmic dining package as it allows you access to the best seats for the best show.  This restaurant is one of the most unique places you can eat.  You walk into a drive-in theater and are seated in a car! Of course, that car has a built-in table and lights so that you don’t make a mess and can watch the creepy sci-fi clips being played on the big screen at the front of the room.  It’s really cool!
• (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)Toy Story Pizza Planet – very similar to the restaurant in the original movie Toy Story, the pizza is good and the arcade (though it will add up quickly if you send your kids off to enjoy a few games) is a great break from the heat or rain.  It’s always a favorite with the kids!
• (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)Hollywood Brown Derby – this is my absolute favorite restaurant in all of Disney.  The food is divine and you feel as though you are dining at the real restaurant in California.  The caricatures of Hollywood’s stars on the walls and the elegant atmosphere make for a very enjoyable meal.  Their cobb salad is to die for and if that doesn’t do it, the prices will definitely kill you… all kidding aside, I think it’s totally worth it for a date meal.  Send the kids to ride a few rides with Grandma and Grandpa or Aunt and Uncle and settle in for an unforgettable meal.

Insider Tip: Don’t forget that Disney’s character buffet meal prices include non-alcoholic drinks, so even if you’re on a budget, don’t be afraid to order both coffee and orange juice with your meal. 

Insider Tip: If you’re not crazy about standing in line for character autographs, work a few character meals into your plan.  I always try to get the last breakfast reservation because the price is best and it serves as brunch for my crew (my kids find a yogurt and a granola bar is a great in-room snack to hold them over till then).